The Ultimate Betrayal
by Electrified by Evil
Summary: Kakashi is sad. He adopts Hinata. He is no longer sad. She finds out before getting stolen away by a silly snake boy. What will happen next? A funny summary on a serious take on what would happen if things were different. NaruxHina pairing. M for later.
1. Meet the Players

Hatake Kakashi had just come back from a mission. It was borderline evening-night, and he was on his way to a bar. He hated killing, making him wonder yet again why he became a ninja. He stopped short when he heard something. A…giggle? Focusing hard, he located the source of the noise. A cute little baby was tottering on the top of a roof. It looked to be a girl, and she was dressed in the finest clothes. Her hair wasn't that long yet, but it looked to be a dark black/purple color. Her eyes were pure white.

Jumping, he caught the child. She clapped her hands and giggled at him. He glanced around, knowing exactly whose child this was. He knew what had happened, too. He didn't know why, but he knew what had to be done. This poor child had been orphaned at such a young age… against his better judgment; he decided to take her in. After all, he knew the pain of being alone.

++ 10 Years Later ++

"Do you know where my book is?" A ten-year old Hinata asked her father. She stood at the door, but her eyes glanced around, narrowing so she could see better. Nothing. She sighed and waited for his answer.

"You're always organized, why don't you know where it is?" A voice answered, muffled by a door.

The door opened and Kakashi walked out, running a hand through his messy hair. He wore a mask over his mouth and half of his nose. He also wore a baggy pair of black pajama pants, hung loosely around his waist. His hair stuck up in many directions, looking like a scarecrow.

"I can't find it in all these boxes…"

The girl gestured with one hand to all the boxes spread about the room.

"Uhm….. Try that one?"

He pointed randomly to a box near her feet. She glanced down, and she bent down and rummaged through it before coming up with a book in one hand and a smile on her face.

"Thanks, dad."

"Sure thing, kid. Have fun at school. Don't get into too much trouble, kay?"

She nodded and watched him turn back into his bedroom before racing out of their house. It was a new home, close to the woods. They just moved three days ago, and she still had problems with it. Mainly because they didn't have time to unpack, but still.

Hatake Hinata thought about her life so far. She often did on her run to school. She was only ten, but she was very intelligent.

She remembered telling her father she looked nothing like him. He looked at her for a moment before answering. _You look more like your mother. You have my smarts, though._

Ever since she had turned four, she had been taught by him. Kakashi taught her book smarts, and she picked up on how to read. By five she could read just about everything, and by six she could write. It had always been a messy scrawl, but Kakashi told her that if she could read it, then it didn't matter.

When she was six and a half, Kakashi taught her about chakra and Jutsus. She loved hearing about what cool things you could do if you were a ninja, and she begged him to teach her. He relented rather quickly, and she soaked it all up like a sponge. He told her that her chakra wasn't developed enough yet, but he could teach her other things.

Taijutsu, for example. She picked up the basics fairly quickly, and he continued to teach her more and more advanced stances and moves. They made a daily schedule so she got enough training time in by age seven. Morning run, Taijutsu practice, breakfast, another run, balance test, meditation, lunch, reading and studying, more Taijutsu, and then whatever she wanted before dinner. Most of that time she spent playing catch with her dad, but sometimes she would clean the house, write a story, read, or go shopping for the food they needed. She liked to keep busy.

Hinata felt it a bit unfair that she had to grow up so fast sometimes. Kakashi had taught her things so advanced that whenever she talked with other kids in the park they would look at her funny and run off. They always called her mean names. She tried to ignore them, though. She didn't mind, most of the time, because she had Kakashi. But part of her wished she was normal. Part of her wanted to fit in.

Whenever she felt like that, she told her dad. "_Kid, don't think like that! You want to be a part of the crowd that pushes the weak around? You want to be a bully?" "No!"_ she'd reply in horror. "_I just want to be accepted for who I am!"_ He would laugh a little here. _"I accept you. I love you so much. Your mother would have loved you. Isn't that enough?"_ She always stopped there, knowing he was right. Again. And because mother was a tough subject.

"_What was she like?"_ she'd ask. "_Do I really look like her?"_ He would nod sadly and not say a word. Eventually she realized that it hurt him to talk about it. She could see the pain in his eyes, and she would try to fix her mistake. _"I'm sorry, dad…I know you miss her…I love you, too!"_ She'd give him her best hug, and everything would be okay.

The only problem with Kakashi, she mused, were those books of his. They were awful! She had been packing his room to move (he was on a mission at the time) and she found a box with a lock on it. Curious, she easily opened the lock and opened the box. Three or four brightly colored books rest in a neat pile, their pages worn from use. Still not knowing what they were, she sat down to read them. He had been holding out on her! Fuming, she'd opened the first one.

By the third page, she was confused. She found a dictionary and looked up a few of the words she didn't know. Eyes wide with this new knowledge, she had continued reading. It wasn't until she saw the pictures of the people in the book having sex did she put it down. She flipped through the other books and found they, too, were the same basic thing. She looked in the dictionary again, this time looking for a different word.

When he had gotten home, the books were already gone. Kakashi, who didn't know, just sniffed the air and asked if she was playing with fire again. Grinning, she nodded. "And books" she said innocently. It took a moment for this to sink in. Then he blushed, his mask hiding it from her. "Uhm, Hinata? What did you learn?" She could tell that he knew they were gone, but he cared about her wellbeing.

"I'm okay, dad, but you shouldn't have books like that around me. If you do, keep them in a secret place! Or go to the library and read your porn there!" He cringed when he said that word. Sure, he was a pervert, but it made him sound so much worse. Eventually he hugged her and apologized for her having to see that. He explained what was in them a little better than what she found out on her own. It helped, but she still had those thoughts in her head.

Even more so when she met Uzumaki Naruto.


	2. A Team Effort!

Hinata panted, holding her right hand palm up. Her left was down at her side. She was fighting her father, and she needed to stop. Again. She cringed when she sat down, her body aching. They were sparing, and she was being taught to force chakra into her Taijutsu style. He didn't name it, so she just thought of it as Gentle Fist.

For two years, he had drilled her into knowing exactly where chakra points were, and he made her use two or three fingers and shove him in various spots, disabling him after awhile. She hated hurting him, but he always said it was for training. Now she knew exactly where to hit, and she was taught how to fully stop a person using chakra.

Hinata stood up again, her body crying out to lay down and sleep. She ignored it and got into a basic stance, her eyes trained on Kakashi, waiting for his movement. She was patient, and she could wait it out till he moved first. It gave her an advantage, but usually not too big of one.

Kakashi was suddenly in front of her, and she cursed for spacing out. She blocked a blow with her left arm and lunged to the right, faking left with her eye movement. She ducked into a roll when his arm came down in a chop, and she rolled under his legs, spreading her arms when she went under so he fell.

Being totally unprepared for this new tactic, Kakashi fell onto his stomach. He rolled to the side quickly, jumping up and waiting for her to move. When she didn't respond, he sighed and rushed her again. She jumped in the air this time, kicking out with both feet. He caught one of her legs and spun, whipping her around. She was tossed into a tree, but she stuck to it with chakra.

Hinata smiled before she slipped off the tree's trunk, entirely out of chakra. Kakashi caught her before she hit the ground and she smiled lightly at him before fainting.

"Silly Hina-chan" he murmured, starting for the house. "You always overwork yourself to chakra exhaustion…"

--

School the next day was tiring for the purple-haired girl. She didn't sleep well that night, and with chakra exhaustion she was borderline asleep. She knew she shouldn't have used so much chakra, because she didn't have that much. Her knowledge of chakra told her that she would get bigger stores when she was older, but that didn't keep her from wishing she had more now.

Iruka noticed how tired she was near lunch and called for the break ten minutes early. He smiled at her before she let her head fall to the desk, asleep. He chuckled and watched as every kid ran for the door, not wanting to miss any of this new freedom. Lunch was usually only twenty minutes; half an hour for ten year olds was a Kami-send.

--

"Alright class, you have a new project! Team up in pairs of three and we can get started!"

Groans were heard all around, and Iruka smiled at them, an evil gleam in his eye.

"Fine. Since you don't want to pick your group, I'll pick them for you!"

Iruka grabbed a piece of paper to write names down as he called them.

"Once I give you your team, gather before I give you your topic."

Hinata covered her mouth as she yawned, still drowsy from her lunch nap. She wondered who her group would be. She hoped Naruto would be one of them. She didn't care who the other person would be, as long as Naruto was in her group.

"And last but not least, Hinata, Naruto, and Sasuke."

Sasuke fangirls moaned and bitched about it, shooting daggers at Hinata. She didn't see them, as she was envisioning Naruto proclaiming his love for her, ending with a kiss. A blush covered her face and she zoned out, her eyes following Naruto. Next to her, Shino rolled his eyes and nudged her gently.

Startled, she blushed in embarrassment and thanked him before moving to meet up with Sasuke and Naruto. The ended up moving the chairs in a little triangle.

"Here you are, you three" Iruka handed them a sheet of paper explaining what they needed to do. "you may have this topic. Good luck!"

Hinata accepted the paper and glanced over it. Good; it was a topic she knew well.

"O-okay, we'll sp-split the work u-up evenly" she stammered, a light blush still adorning her face. She was having more thoughts about the blond sitting so close to her. His smile seemed to light up the room.

"Cool. What's our topic?" Naruto asked her, head tilted.

"H-here" she answered, pushing the paper towards him.

Their project was to explain what chakra was and how it was used. Hinata figured she could educate the two boys on what was going on, but Sasuke seemed to know exactly what it was. He was already writing things down, a small scowl on his face. Naruto just looked confused.

"So, Hinata-chan, what's chakra?"

Hinata blushed and tried to form an answer. She smiled at him shyly before she opened her mouth to speak.

"Dobe. You don't even know what chakra is?"

"Teme! I bet you don't either!"

"Hn."

Hinata blinked.

"Uhm, why d-don't we split t-the work up even-evenly?"

"Okay, Hina-chan!" Naruto declared loudly, turning away from Sasuke.

"Ano. H-how about I e-explain what it is, a-and Sasuke-k-kun how it is u-used?"

"Okay, what about me?" he asked, eyes wide.

She tried to think of something. There were really only two general questions to cover, and it made it hard to split up with three people…

"You c-can present it t-to the cl-class" she stammered, still nervous about being around him. His scent made it hard to concentrate. Kakashi's perverted books invaded her mind and her blush deepened.

"Okay!" he smiled his trademark grin and leaned back in his chair.

Hinata nodded, smiling shyly, and got to work. She would explain what it was to him another time, before they presented, so he wouldn't stumble over words or tell the wrong information.

--

"So, Hinata, when do you want to tutor me?"

Naruto was following Hinata out of class. She had mentioned teaching him about it before, and now he was bouncing around her. She struggled to carry all her things. She was trying to walk while shoving books into her backpack.

Suddenly the pile was gone and Hinata successfully got three books into her bag. Naruto was standing there, holding them. He held one after another out to her until they were all tucked away. Hinata blushed and smiled at him gratefully.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun" she murmured.

It was Naruto's turn to blush.

"You-you're welcome" he stammered.

Hinata gazed at him, her eyes searching. He seemed to be… flustered by her words. Did he not hear them very often? She resolved to tell him thanks for every little thing he did for her.

"Ano – if you'd li-like, you can c-come over to-today…I mean, if y-you aren't b-busy"

Naruto looked down at his feet. He scuffed the ground with one sandal.

"No, I'm not busy."

His voice was so quiet that Hinata wondered if her shyness wore off on him. She shrugged it off and smiled.

"W-well then, let's go. My dad won't mind a sudden guest"

They were halfway to her house before she realized that she hadn't stuttered in front of her crush.

--

True to her word, Kakashi didn't mind having him over. He knew what the blond boy contained inside of him, but he knew that Naruto wasn't the demon itself. Naruto was just the container, and in reality, Naruto was keeping the fox from killing them all.

They worked for a long time, Kakashi only pulling Hinata away from Naruto when she was supposed to train. Hinata forgot that Naruto was watching and pushed herself to exhaustion, passing out again after using too much of her small chakra stores.

Kakashi brought her up to bed lovingly before shooing Naruto away. He told Naruto to come back whenever he wanted and then offered him some ramen before handing the astonished boy some money to go buy some.

--

The small group presented their report. Naruto learned more after that and continued to go to Hinata for help on the things he didn't know. She always taught him like a friend, not a teacher, and he understood it better the ways she explained. Sometimes she gave him a visual, like Taijutsu and small Justus. The only one she could do properly so far was the bushin. It didn't require much chakra and the hand seal was a snap to make.

Over the next three years, the two became closer. Hinata stopped stuttering around him, but she still had naughty thoughts. Her blush became normal to Naruto, and they hung out and had sleepovers. Hinata always caught her dad supervising them, but she didn't mind. She just wanted to be his friend – for now.

So. I'm hoping this chapter wraps up any loose ends. She is growing quickly, and her friendship with Naruto is started! The main reason for her blush is because of those Icha Icha books! Silly Kakashi!

Oh well. Hope you liked this (early) chapter. I threw it together because I needed something to do after I got home from archery tonight. I just found out that Hoops is closing, and it's really depressing.

OTHER NOTES: Hinata doesn't know that she is a Huuyga yet. She named the Taijutsu Gentle Fist because she found it was a gentle way to hurt people with her fists. She didn't hear about it from Kakashi, her old clan, or anyone in the village. She also doesn't know about her bloodline limit or why her eyes look like they do. She also hates mirrors.

That is all.


	3. Small Changes

She couldn't believe it. It was the end of their final year at the academy, and they were to take the Genin exams in two weeks.

Hinata had grown; she was taller and she filled out her shirts more. She had changed her main outfit, too. She wore a fishnet undershirt with a light purple skin-tight shirt. She added some bandages around her shoulders, topped with a small, lightweight purple jacket that matched her hair. She wore a pair of light black ninja pants, with two separate kunai pouches; one on her lower leg and one on her lower back, held up by a belt.

She had talked with her father over the entire thing, explaining how it was efficient for her movements so she wouldn't get killed on a mission. Kakashi had argued how it was distracting, but she wore him down by adding the jacket. She kept it zipped up to her chin whenever he was around her, just to keep him happy. She got the sense that he didn't like seeing her flaunt her body.

But Hina wasn't trying to do what he thought. She actually wanted something designed to help her so that she could perform her best on every mission. It didn't restrict her movements, it was comfortable, and the colors allowed her to blend in. Somehow.

Kakashi had gone into overdrive and made her perform the oddest things. He made her do the most simple of things, like the Bushin, and he started to rush teach her some of the most advanced forms of Taijutsu. She had almost perfected her Gentle Fist style, her aim ninety-nine percent perfect. She only faltered when she was instructed to hit him where he could die- but without adding chakra.

She didn't even want to try on him, never-the-less kill anyone else, but she was working on it. Kakashi guessed that once she had her first battle she would instinctively kill. She herself wasn't so sure, but she trusted her father.

Her friendship with Naruto was constantly growing, much to her excitement. She relished the times they had together, taking pictures when he didn't expect them and drawing or writing about times they had. She devoted an entire wall to their friendship, pinning up the memories for the world to see. Naruto had seen it a few times, and she recalled him bursting with happiness. She hadn't missed the looks that he still got, and she liked to make him happy like this.

--

"Okay, to graduate you'll have to do the 'Bushin no Jutsu'. When you're called come into the next room."

Hinata watched as Iruka walked into the other room, calling out a random name. The kid got up and sulked through the doorway. She turned slightly in her seat to look at Naruto. He sat closer to the front, and he was banging his head on the desk repeatedly. She wished him luck in her head until her name was called.

She easily made ten Bushins, even though they only asked for three. She shrugged and accepted her headband with a small 'thanks'. She went outside while trying to figure out where she wanted to put it. Usually people put it on their heads, but she wanted to be slightly different. She finally decided to tie it around her neck.

She sat on Naruto's swing and waited until Kakashi showed up. She asked if they could stay until Naruto came out, but Kakashi said they had other plans. He apologized and then whisked her away to celebrate. They both knew that she would pass.

Before they left, she scratched a message in the dirt where he would see it when he came out. _'Naru-kun, come visit me later! I want to know how you did! Sorry for leaving, Hina'_

--

Kakashi had actually made her a huge lunch/dinner, and he went light on the training. They discussed what the teams might be like. He confessed (after much goading) to taking another team this year. She grinned at him.

"Are you going to fail them, too?"

Kakashi shrugged, a smile hidden under his mask.

"I'm not sure. I don't know who I'll get yet. They might work together perfectly this year."

It was silent for a moment, and then they burst out laughing. Kakashi had explained his test to her and why they always failed. She knew that he would probably never pass a team, so whoever got put on it would go home mad. The bell test should be famous by now, but new teams continued to be stubbornly ignorant.

Only a few seconds after they finished cleaning up their dishes, an ANBU popped into the room. He bowed his head for a split second before relaying his message.

"Kakashi-san, a student named "Naruto" has stolen the Forbidden Scroll! You are asked to help locate him and get the scroll back!"

Kakashi nodded seriously and the dog-masked ANBU member left. He walked calmly over to the wall where his sword was hanging on the wall and took it down. Hinata looked startled.

"Why do you need that? It's just Naruto"

"…You never know, Hina-chan." Kakashi said quietly.

Hinata watched as he swiftly donned his gear, grabbing only what he thought he needed on such short notice. She was desperate to help, and she grabbed her kunai pouch and drew it around her waist.

"Take me with you."

--

Naruto sat in the forest, looking at the scroll with distaste.

"Why does the first one on here have to be something I'm bad at?!?"

--

Hinata supplied Kakashi's hunting nin-dogs with Naruto's smell. She held no weapons; she figured she could either talk to him as a friend or use her newly polished Gentle Fist to subdue him. She still couldn't believe that Naruto would do something like that, but she pushed the thought of kissing him out of her mind for the moment. If it was anyone else, she wouldn't be thinking that. She would be focused on the rescue.

"I have the smell, Hinata-san."

"Good. Lead on, please."

--

Naruto finally got it down. It had taken a great amount of time, but he had learned it. Kage Bushin no Jutsu.

"Alright! I can't wait for Iruka-sensei and Mizuki-sensei to pass me!"

--

Kakashi and Hinata followed Pakkun, bewildered at why he was leading them through a dense forest. Kakashi had a small guess, but Hinata didn't get it yet. She felt like she was flying over the trees. She noticed that she was falling behind Kakashi, and, not wanting to slow him down, applied chakra bursts to her feet to push her forwards faster.

--

Iruka glared at Mizuki. The man was about to tell Naruto a forbidden secret. He had hoped to tell Naruto when he was older; when he was ready. He continued to plead against it.

"Please, Mizuki! Don't do this!"

--

Hinata and Kakashi stopped soon, hiding and watching the scene. They could see Iruka standing in front of Naruto protectively. Mikzuki was going on about something, and Hinata strained to hear it. Her eyes widened and she nearly lost her footing.

--

"Yes, Naruto! You are the nine-tailed DEMON!"

Iruka kept shaking his head. "No, he's not!"

Naruto stood there, confused.

Mizuki unstrapped a Dai shuriken from his back and held it in his hand. He grinned wildly before whipping it at Naruto.

--

Hinata had to stuff a hand in her mouth to stop herself from screaming. Kakashi held her back, wanting to see how this played out. He knew that he could easily take on Mizuki, and they would be backup if the situation got too out of hand. Hinata's eyes watered as she saw Iruka take the giant shuriken in his back. She hoped it didn't hit his spine.

--

Naruto's eyes also went wide. Iruka was looming over him, taking the hit of the huge metal weapon.

"…Why?"

--

Hinata watched Naruto run into the trees, leaping up and running away. He had tears streaming from his face, and he didn't look like he was watching where he was going. She followed, eventually catching up.

"Naruto-kun!"

--

Naruto glanced to his side.

"Hinata-chan?"

--

He suddenly looked suspicious and wiped his eyes. He glared, and she drew back a little, still keeping pace with him.

"I promise, Naru-kun, it's me.."

--

"How can I trust you?" he muttered bitterly. "How can I trust anyone?"

--

Hinata's heart broke. She forced herself to keep her eyes dry and she quickly took out a picture she carried of the two of them. Kakashi had taken it, and only they knew about it. She carried it on her person at all times, hidden in a pocket only she knew about. She held it out to Naruto, who looked at it suspiciously.

--

He looked at it oddly, than gave a little laugh. It was definitely Hinata. But…what was she doing here?

--

Hinata took back the picture, shoving it back to where it belonged. She got closer to him, grabbing his hand.

"I have a plan" she murmured, her heart speeding up at the contact.

_Please don't let me embarrass myself here!_

--

"Naruto! Give me the scroll! I'll keep it safe!"

Iruka called out to Naruto, who looked a little surprised to see his sensei. Then he lunged at him, kicking the man in the chest.

Iruka poofed back into his real form; Mizuki.

"Heh. How did you know I wasn't Iruka, Naruto?"

"Because I'm Iruka."

--

Hinata followed Naruto to where Iruka and Mizuki were yelling. Naruto's eyes went wide when he heard Iruka protesting for him.

--

"Why are you protecting him? A demon will just use the scroll for evil!"

"…You're right."

--

Naruto had tears forming in his eyes again, forgetting the girl standing right next to him behind their tree.

--

"…But Naruto isn't a demon. He's just…Uzumaki Naruto, number one surprising ninja in Konaha!"

--

A smile grew on his face, and Hinata silently agreed with Iruka-sensei's words. She wondered for a moment where Kakashi was. And then she heard Mizuki speak again.

--

"I'm tired of these games. I'm going to kill you, Iruka, and then I'm going demon hunting."

--

Naruto stood up and jumped out, standing in front of his sensei. He held the scroll between his hand and the ground, his eyes narrowed on the chunin teacher smirking at him.

"You aren't going to lay a finger on Iruka-sensei!"

"I can beat you in one move" Mizuki drawled.

"Or really? Then show me!" Naruto grinned and made a single handseal, shouting one word.

--

Hinata's eyes widened from behind the tree. Naruto had just made thousands of copies. And by the look of them, they looked real, not just illusions. _Was this what he learned?_

She made a handsign herself and poofed into Naruto. She made sure she looked just like the original before sneaking in closer to Mizuki. _I'm going to help you teach this traitor a lesson, Naruto-kun!_

--

Mikuki's eyes went wide for a second, but he just shrugged. "Yeah, right!"

And then they were upon him. The flooded him from every corner. But one of them stood out the most – it was closest to him, and it's anger looked greater than the rest. He took a swipe at it, but the clone dodged and came at him with two fingers pointed out towards his chest.

With incredible speed the clone hit him one, four, thirty times, all over his body. Before he fell over under a mass of clones, that single demon made a series of handseals and aimed before releasing the Jutsu on him.

He had no time to cry out before he fainted under the mass beating.

--

Kakashi watched from afar. He chuckled at Mizuki's misfortune. He knew which one was Hinata, and he caught sight of the ending move she used. He had to cover his mouth with both hands, lest he uncover himself. _A thousand years of pain! Nice going, Hina-chan!_

--

Finally everything was over. Mizuki was unconscious, and Kakashi swept in to collect him. Naruto didn't notice, as his focus was on Iruka. Hinata left along with Kakashi, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

_I'm sorry for not staying, Naruto. I wish you the best in life, since you cannot be a ninja…_

So. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

I actually finished homework early and decided to work on this... also I had nothing better to do aha.

I know this chapter is slightly longer than the others; I'm hoping to make them _much much much _longer in the future.

**I'm currently looking for a Beta for this story**; if you'd like to try your hand at it and read this much earlier than everyone else, check out my profile for my email address. Or just leave a review. I always respond to all my reviews, since I get so little of them.

If you spot any errors in here, feel free to let me know. I'm not perfect and without a Beta I know there is bound to be something.

See you!


	4. Filler Teams

"Starting today, all of you are real shinobi…"

Hinata tuned Iruka out to ponder why Naruto was here today. Maybe he had gotten a headband last night, after she and her father left? She grinned; maybe she still had a chance of being on his team! Hinata tuned in just in time to hear what was going on.

"So today we will create the three man teams, each of which will be led by a jonin sensei. You will follow your sensei's instructions in order to successfully complete your missions."

Hinata smiled; her thoughts had gone astray and she was day dreaming about Naruto again.._ Oh yes, Naruto, right there…_

Shino nudged her again and she started, blushing and thanking him with a nod. She tuned back to Iruka again and tried to listen.

"We tried to balance each team's strength…"

--

Since teams one through six were still in circulation, Iruka started with team seven.

"Alright, so team seven will consist of Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura, and Yamanka Ino. Your jonin sensei will be Yuhi Kurenai."

Hinata smiled softly as she saw the two girls glare at each other. They didn't seem to notice Sasuke glaring at both of _them._

Hinata brought her attention back to Iruka.

"Team eight will be Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Akimichi Choji. Sarutobi Asuma will be your sensei."

"Since team Gai is still in circulation.." Iruka coughed and continued.

"Team ten will be Nara Shikamaru, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hatake Hinata."

There was a short pause as Iruka blinked at the sheet he was reading off of.

"…Your jonin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi."

--

Hinata groaned, glancing at the door. Her father _had _to be their sensei. She had vowed to be the first team to pass, but now her hopes were down. He was late. _Again._

--

Kakashi had a few valid reasons to be late, for once. He was at the memorial stone, like usual, but this time he was having one of those seemingly one-sided conversations with Obito.

"…So you see my problem, right Obito? I can either pass them or fail them. But I always fail my teams because they have poor teamwork….and if I pass them Hinata might think it's because she's my…daughter. Kami, what do I do…?"

--

Finally Hinata got exasperated. For once Naruto wasn't doing anything funny, and Shika was sleeping. She slid out of her seat, glancing at the empty room. Everyone else had gone with their sensei hours ago…

"Hina-chan, what are you doing?"

"…Prank"

"Oh. Haha, that'll be awesome!"

She put an eraser between the door; the one with all the chalk residue.

--

Kakashi eventually had to go pick up his team. He didn't want them to leave…if they did they wouldn't pass, but then he had to scout two of them out. As he neared the door, he saw the door open slightly. He angled his head up a bit to see the chalk eraser wedged in the frame.

Sighing, he opened the door anyways. It wasn't going to hurt, and he could use that to fool them into thinking that he wasn't an amazing jonin. He didn't want the others to get their hopes down too much when he failed them.

--

Hinata giggled when the eraser landed with a little poof in his hair. His visible eye went up an a 'U' shape, the one where he was happy. Hinata stood up from her seat near Shika and pulled him up with her.

--

Kakashi uttered only one word.

"Crap."

--

Hinata and Naruto had to drag Shikamaru up to the roof. He actually didn't struggle; he was just a dead weight in their arms. At one point Hinata figured that he was sleeping, but they dropped him and he woke up.

--

"So…Let's begin with introducing yourselves."

"What do you want to know?"

"Oh, likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams for the future…"

"Hey, hey, why don't you introduce yourself to us first?"

"Oh…me? Well…My name is Hatake Kakashi…I have no desire to tell you my likes and dislikes…Dreams for the future….hmm…And I have lots of hobbies…"

--

It was silent for a long moment. Then,

"Okay, who's next? How about you, lazy?"

Shika didn't look like he took much offence to the nickname.

"I'm Nara Shikamaru, I like sleeping and watching clouds…" he faded off for a moment, starting again when Hinata nudged him.

"I don't have too many dislikes, but I don't like loud and bossy women."

Hinata grinned; he wouldn't hate her, then. At least, not most of the time.

"As for a dream?" Shikamaru drawled. "I want to live a normal life, find a normal, quiet wife and have two kids; one boy and one girl."

Naruto lasted only a moment more.

"Can I go next, can I, can I?"

Kakashi had a pained look on his face.

"Sure…"

Hinata smiled as Naruto went on about ramen and then his Hokage dream. She had heard it often. She had made it part of her dream to help him with his. She was going to push him to his limits in training so he would be able to defend anyone and everyone.

She was startled out of her thoughts by a small cough. Kakashi was staring at her, a concerned look on his face. She blushed and shrugged, not knowing what was happening.

"…It's your turn, Hinata-chan" Kakashi murmured.

Hinata smiled. "Gomen."

Naruto gave her a foxy smile and she started off easily.

"I'm Hatake Hinata. I like training and being with my father and friends. My dislikes include ignorant people and people who believe females cannot be ninja." She had a determined look on her face. "Finally, my dream is to become the best ninja I can be and make my father proud. My other important dream is to help my friends with their dreams."

--

Later, after Kakashi had told them about their actual Genin test, Hinata met up with Naruto and Shika. She had told them before that she wanted to talk to them after their sensei had left.

"So why am I here?" Shika drawled, leaning against a tree. Hinata sat cross-legged in front of Naruto and Shikamaru.

"I wanted to talk to you two about the test. Kakashi-sensei has never passed a team…"

Naruto, who hadn't known this before, just gaped at her. Shika looked more calm, but he was thoughtful.

"And you think he won't pass us?"

"Mm. I know the test he gives; it's the same each time. But, since I know it, he might change it a little. I wanted to know if we could work together anyways."

Shikamaru nodded. "Any information is helpful."

"We are totally going to pass this!" Naruto exclaimed, fist punching air.

They spent a good three hours discussing the past tests and what might happen.

Sorry for the long wait. I had lots of homework. I'm starting the next chapter now anyways, so I can get it out before I get overwhelmed with not posting.

And to heck with my update hopes; I'm just going to post it once it's finished. Haha.

If anyone would like to be my BETA, I would love you forever. I seriously need one who can look at it right away and then send it back within and hour with corrections. I know I'm asking for a lot, but I want to get this out often. Once this story is done, I'm going to start another right away...

Enjoy!


	5. Explosions in the Sky: or the ground

Hinata woke early, knowing that Kakashi wouldn't get there for a few hours anyways. She packed a bag with many different weapons and Jutsu scrolls, prepared to take her father on. She packed a healthy lunch, stowing it in her pack.

Finally she left, set out for their training ground. There she met Naruto, who was a little earlier than she was.

"Hello, Naruto-kun" she greeted cheerfully.

"What? Oh, hi, Hinata-chan." He looked up from what he was doing. A frustrated look was on his face.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" she asked, setting her things down against a tree.

She took out two ration bars and handed one to him, unwrapping hers and eating it. She didn't like the taste, but if they ate any more he would know and would really make them throw up. If they didn't eat at all, then they would most definitely fail.

"Thanks, Hina. I'm working on this scroll you gave me…It's tricky…"

She smiled and took it from him.

"Alright, here's what you have to do…"

--

While Hinata taught Naruto how to learn the move, Shika showed up and rested against a tree. He observed their interactions, carefully thinking out a plan crafted to their needs. He lazily picked at the grass, turning some green blades over and over in his hands. And he slept.

--

By ten, the three were ready. Shika had explained their plan, Hinata being a major part of it. They would pretend to be separated, and if they had to fight, Hinata would be the distraction. Naruto, still working on his grand Jutsu, would stay away for a bit. Hinata would eventually get her father towards a shadowed area, where Shika would trap him. It was in those few precious moments that Naruto had to finish it.

Hinata hoped it worked.

--

Kakashi showed up, walking slowly. A smile was present on his face, but the only indication was of his eye, curved up and a u-shape. He observed the three, wondering only for a moment why they weren't yelling about how he was late.

He didn't notice any full stomachs, and they looked bored, tired, and hungry. That was good. Maybe Hinata didn't want to risk throwing up if they actually did eat.

"Good morning!"

"YOU'RE LATE!"

Ah, there it was.

--

After a brief debate on where he was, they got started.

"Alright. Since Hinata knows the original test, I have a new one."

Hinata and Naruto groaned. Shika merely looked bored.

"See these two bells? Get them before the clock rings."

Naruto looked confused. "But…if we work together, won't you pass us?"

Shika shrugged, drawling an answer before Kakashi could.

"I think he actually wants us to work together to get them. The point now is not to work together; it's to really get them."

Kakashi nodded. "Exactly. Now, you should work together, but…"

He was cut off as Naruto ran at him, brandishing a kunai.

Kakashi easily flipped Naruto around, turning the boy so that the weapon was now aimed at the back of his head.

"I didn't say go…"

Naruto let out a strangled noise. Kakashi waited only a moment more.

"Go!"

The instant he said that word, Naruto leaned back into the kunai. A poof and smoke revealed that Naruto wasn't Naruto. Kakashi didn't panic; he just used a Kawarimi no Jutsu and avoided another attack. Kakashi prepared to see a lot more of Naruto's shadow clones.

--

Hinata smiled as she watched the clones attack him. Most were of Naruto, since Kakashi knew that she had poor skills with many shadow clones. She did make a few, so her chakra was mixed in. Naruto was still working on his part, so she guessed she had to continue the main distraction. She took a deep breath and charged in.

--

Kakashi watched Hinata rush in. He knew this was the real girl, since her chakra was higher than some of the clones. The others had too large reserves to be hers, even though the clone had a large percentage of the host's chakra.

He battled her with Taijutsu, being careful to avoid her Gentle Fist. She had told him what she called it before, and he withheld a laugh. She was dead on. And if she hit him, even once, he was done for. Her chakra control and accuracy were deadly.

--

Hinata, frustrated, attacked him with more powerful kicks and punches. She reverted to a few different styles of Taijutsu in random orders, trying to throw him off. Her father was an amazing ninja, but usually she could hit him once or twice…

"At home, training…" she screamed, "never hold back again!"

She grew angrier as Kakashi just laughed. He had to move twice as fast as she tripled her movements and attacks. She dared not throw away any chakra until she needed to.

--

Shikamaru watched from a distance, his chakra seemingly gone. He knew a few important skills, like how to cut off his chakra so other ninjas couldn't find him. He held back a murmur of surprise when Hinata sped up. She and Kakashi were locked in a dance of battle. It was amazing.

Taking mental notes, he prepared himself for his part of the plan. Hinata was slowly but surely driving Kakashi closer to his hiding spot.

--

Kakashi guessed that Hinata was trying to corner him somewhere, but he didn't think he would be stuck. He continued to think of their plan, but he didn't sense any major chakra anywhere. Naruto was further away, although he was heading to their clearing quickly. He was being followed by a few odd chakra markers….

Suddenly Kakashi couldn't move. He blinked and turned around, his body forced to comply with Shikamaru's.

"…Great."

--

Hinata smiled and quickly hit him with two bursts of chakra in each arm. His legs were next. She was tired, though, and she didn't have much left in her. She knew that he could do something again soon. She willed Naruto to move faster.

--

Hinata smiled as she saw Naruto.

"Naruto, I can't hold him much longer" Shika murmured. He could only keep his shadow attached to their sensei's for so long. He didn't have the same chakra capacity that the blond had.

Nodding, Naruto sent four of his clones at the man standing stark still. One swiped the bells, and the other three grinned.

The clone tossed the bells to Hinata, who caught them and started running.

"Now!"

--

Miles away, an explosion was heard.

"Good lord, what was that?"

--

Kakashi shook his head, trying to clear it. Smoke still lingered everywhere, but almost nothing was on fire. He was scorched, and his clothes burnt and torn apart. He was fine, since he layered himself in his chakra right after Shikamaru had released him. The blast left a large crater of dead trees and grass.

--

"What the hell was that?"

Hinata grinned at Kakashi.

"Our plan."

"No no- I mean the blast. I didn't see any explosive notes anywhere…"

Naruto piped up, food still in his mouth. He swallowed, then stated proudly, "Exploding clones!"

--

Hinata, Shika, and Naruto were patient in explaining the clones to Kakashi. He was stumped to how they were created at first, but then he understood and actually made one to test for himself.

He was not surprised; however, to know that Hinata had the general idea and Shika had worked with her to actually create it. Since Naruto had the chakra for it, he was the one to test it out and perfect it.

Naruto loved it, because if regular clones didn't work, then he could surprise people with the exploding ones. They didn't take too much else to work, either. He just had to change a little bit of the chakra paths, and before long it was just the thought of changing them that did the trick.

--

Finally he let them take the rest of the day off. Hinata was grateful and went home to shower. She was sweaty, tired, and hungry. Naruto offered her lunch, but for once she had to decline. She wanted to get home to collapse. She had used a lot more of her chakra and energy than she planned. She had no doubt that Shika was going to go home and sleep. _Lazy boy._

Hinata smiled at Naruto and thanked him for the offer, apologizing with a small bow.

"Sorry, Naruto-kun" she murmured. "I am very tired and hungry. Maybe I'll have you over later for dinner?"

When she was tired she became shy and polite. And, talking to Naruto, she liked to show that she was a girl, not just another ninja. She wanted to stand out to him, but she didn't want him to think that she was rude.

She didn't see the sad expression on his face as she turned and left for home, already envisioning the warm water on her skin.

--

Naruto ended up going over for dinner anyways. He did enjoy Hinata's company, not only because she was his friend, but because he felt close to her. Closer than the old man, that was for sure. She knew about the Kyuubi, and she still stayed by his side, like nothing had changed.

--

The weeks went by quickly, D-rank missions a breeze to their team. They did at least three a day, stopping only when Hinata judged it time for training. Usually Kakashi tried to get out of it, but Hinata always found a way to get him to teach them.

"If I don't know anything, I could get killed on a mission!"

He always made sure to push her harder whenever she used that, but only because she knew he worried for her. Naruto continued to grow and learn too, soaking up lessons like a sponge. With Hinata's patience and Shikamaru's smarts, he kept a sharp mind and an agile body.

Naruto actually had to relearn some things, though. The academy taught him faulty things, and the only thing he could do properly was the Kage Bushin and the exploding clones. With the normal shadow ones, though, he learned ten times faster in order to catch up.

All was going well in the village.

Until Sasuke came back from a C-rank mission, both of his teammates dead.

So sorry this took so long and it's late - I'm trying to make the chapters longer and I don't have as much time as I did before.

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I needed somewhere to stop and I'm going to start including more in each chapter. I want the plot to continue, and I need this going; no more filler.

At least for now. ;D Enjoy!


	6. Anniversary of the Forgotten

Naruto, Shika and Hinata had been picking up their first mission when Sasuke and Kurenai showed up, dirty and tired. The female jonin had a haunted look in her eyes, and Sasuke seemed a little…different.

Hinata didn't want to seem rude, so she didn't ask. Shikamaru showed genuine interest, and Naruto looked subdued.

But only for a moment.

"What's wrong, dobe? Did you fall out of a tree?" Naruto challenged.

Surprisingly, Sasuke just shrugged. He didn't meet any of their eyes. "Shut up, dobe."

Hinata, concerned for their lack of arguments, felt the need to say something.

"Whatever it is, it can't be too bad, right?" She asked, trying to be hopeful.

Kurenai ignored the students and started talking to the Hokage. Hinata heard what was up and gasped. She raced out of the room, her friends trailing behind her in a moment. She didn't believe it.

--

Hinata lost the two boys on her team and hid, crying. She didn't like the two females on Sasuke's team, but she never wanted them to die. It was painful, having two ninjas that could have been you die.

Her strength to train resolved.

--

The next day, when Hinata was feeling a little bit better, Kakashi gave them some good news.

"I nominated you three for the Chunin exams!"

All three were curious.

--

"So, are we going to participate?"

"I certainly am! What about you, Shika?"

"I dunno. Naruto?"

"Hell yes! I'm gonna be a chunin!"

Both of the blond's team mates grinned. They nodded, thoughtful, and went back to their cloud watching.

--

The funeral for both of the Genin of team seven was the next day. Their bodies hadn't been retrieved; their caskets were lowered into the ground side by side. To the end, they were still friends.

--

Hinata, still muddling through the idea of not seeing the two girls ever again, made it to the training ground three hours early. She was surprised to see Shikamaru. She hadn't thought that the lazy boy would be here so early.

"What are you doing here so early?" she questioned, placing herself on the ground next to him, hands behind her head.

It took a moment for him to answer. She didn't mind waiting; the clouds were aplenty at five in the morning.

"I'm grieving."

Hinata was only confused for a moment. On his chest was a small photo of Ino and Choji. They hadn't been too close at the academy, but they were still good friends. She nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry."

Shika looked into her face and saw all of her fears threatening to burst out. He sat up and she did the same. She gave a shaky smile and burst into tears.

--

Naruto found them like that two hours later, hugging and talking about their friends. They talked about their fears, their hopes, and their feelings. Hinata felt a whole lot better than when she first showed up.

Hinata gave another shaky smile, trying to convince him she was fine. He shrugged and admitted that he was afraid that he was going to die before becoming Hokage. They got into a whole other discussion.

Hinata was so happy when the blond hugged her a few times.

--

Kakashi showed up a few hours later, showing up late for the first time in months. He smiled, trying not to show that it was forced.

"So, have you three made your decisions? I have to inform the Hokage of your descion."

Naruto nodded. "I'll say it again. HELL YES"

Hinata didn't try to hide a smile.

"Yes; I am ready."

They all looked to the boy watching the clouds.

"Oh, me now? Sorry. No thank you."

Hinata was surprised. She knew that he was lazy, but he was smart and when he was motivated he was strong.

"Why ever not?" she questioned, sitting down for another discussion.

They all formed a circle, facing each other. They were able to scout the whole clearing, watching each other's backs.

"I've given it a lot of thought. And Ino and Sakura's deaths helped. I don't want to die. I don't want to be weak, either, but I can't stand my friends dying. I know you two will make a difference, but I just don't have it in me."

--

Later, after training, Kakashi pulled Hinata aside.

"I can't send a two-man team into the exams" he whispered, trying to keep a lookout for the two boys at the same time.

Hinata blinked. "So, because Shika said no, we can't get in?"

Kakashi nodded. "Right. We need _three people _to participate. Unless we can find someone today, you can't be in it."

Hinata caught his drift and sighed.

"I can try, dad."

--

"Hello, Sasuke"

"Hinata."

"How are you doing this fine morning?"

"What do you want? I'm busy."

Hinata didn't flinch. "I'm getting there. You need more patience."

"I need you to leave me alone."

"I need you to shut up and listen."

Sasuke blinked and stopped punching the training post. His knuckles were bloody. He had to get stronger, and this stupid village was holding him back. This normally shy girl had just stood up to him; she know held his respect.

When he was silent and watching her with cold eyes, she began again.

"Shikamaru isn't going to be in the Chunin exams."

"What's this got to do with me?"

"Our team needs three people to participate."

Sasuke took another moment to think about it. This girl just showed up with power on a silver platter. Maybe, if he made chunin, the village would give him more power and things so he could beat Itachi. All he had to do was accept the offer.

"And…"

She rolled her eyes. "No and. You don't have a team, and we need one more person. Yes or no."

Sasuke swallowed hard and looked back to the post. He hated himself for getting the two fangirls in trouble. They were only trying to protect him, but they were stupid and got themselves killed. And the mission failed. He wanted to be alone for that very reason. So people wouldn't get hurt for him.

"I'll do it" he whispered.

--

Hinata had thanked him quietly before healing his hands. She knew a few minor healing Jutsus that came in handy sometimes. She didn't get a thank you in return, but she knew that he was just keeping himself distant.

"Training is at seven tomorrow" she murmured. "We only have three days before the exams begin, and we need to get to know your skills."

He just nodded, pounding the pole once more.

"And Sasuke?"

More pounding, softer this time.

"We can help you"

--

Hinata panted lightly; her pulse quickened when Sasuke attacked her again. She stepped to the side and hit him with two fingers. His left arm flopped to his side and he grimaced, his eyes burning with fury. He rolled to the side when she kicked out his legs from under him.

Hinata threw a punch, missing when he drew back. A push came from behind and she was thrown forward. Quickly landing on her hands, she pushed up and tossed herself at Sasuke, feet first. A fist caught Sasuke's clone in the stomach, and her sandals hit his actual face.

Now breathing hard, Hinata created two clones. She weaved them around her, then around him on the ground. He rushed at the one holding back and ran at her, fist cocked back to punch her back. A little bit of blood trickled from his nose, but he seemed to be ignoring the pain.

Again Hinata stepped aside, grabbing his arm and twisting around so that she picked up momentum, twirling on her heel. She grunted and threw him in the air with all her might. His eyes were wide when a clone tossed her into the air, aimed like an arrow at him. He tried to turn, but he narrowed his eyes and used his usable arm to cover his face.

The moment she got near him she shoved chakra into her fingers, quickly touching them to his chakra channels to close them. Not being able to move, Sasuke fell like a dead weight towards the ground.

Using the rest of her chakra, Hinata made another clone; her tenth one this hour. She used it to toss her back down, grabbing the falling male and landing gently. She set him on the ground, her chest heaving. She fought to catch her breath.

This all happened within two minutes. Each of their mock battles lasted three minutes; unless one person "killed" the other. Hinata withdrew a kunai from her pouch and set it at the raven's neck.

"You're dead" she muttered.

--

Later, when they were both back to normal, Kakashi went over where they went wrong and where they did great. Hinata got a lot of praise, but Kakashi told her to work on the chakra capacity. If she wanted to use shadow clones in her fights, she would need more of them.

She got to work, storing as much of her leftover chakra into a container as possible. She watched as Sasuke got instructed on what he did wrong. His form was poor compared to Hinata's, and he left himself open and anger clouded his mind. He needed to focus it more.

Naruto and Shika were also battling, even though Shika wasn't going to be a ninja anymore. Naruto needed all the help he could get, and the lazy boy was smart enough to realize that he should help in all the ways he could. Twenty of Naruto's explosion clones set around Shika, along with twenty normal clones. The normal ones attacked first, new ones leaping into action as soon as another dissipated.

Shika beat all of them easily and waited for the bombs to go off. All of them exploded at the same time, and Shika poofed, too. Naruto, watching from a distance, cursed. Shikamaru had left a shadow clone as well.

Hinata smiled and watched as he bled into the forest, body close to trees and down into the undergrowth. Soon he was dragging the sleeping boy into the main clearing, shaking his head.

--

"So, today's the day" she murmured, getting a bowl of cereal for breakfast.

Kakashi, still tired, nodded slowly. She poured two bowls; one for her and one for him.

"You'll be fine" he yawned, covering his face with a hand. His mask was off, as it usually was in the morning. He wasn't wearing his headband at the moment, either.

Hinata shrugged. "Eh, I dunno.." she bit her lip, just now doubting her abilities. Would they be enough? Naruto had improved too, but Sasuke seemed the same as when they left the academy. Maybe a little quieter and angrier.

Kakashi turned his one eye up to her from his spot at the table. His left eye was closed.

Seriously, Hinata-chan. I know you'll be fine. _I _taught you. Plus, you're a Hatake."

Smiling, she felt hope flow into her heart. She honestly hoped so. She handed him his food and set a mug of coffee down gently. Scolding him for drinking so much the night before, she sat down next to him.

She chewed silently, wondering why he had gone out and gotten himself drunk. He had done it before, sure, but he had never been so wasted before. He always managed to get himself home safe. Last night, when he didn't show up at the usual time, she had gone out to find him.

He had been passed out, in a dark ally. It was close to their house, so she knew that he had been on his way home, but he just had too much to function. She had carried him home and stripped him down to his boxers and mesh shirt, setting him on his side so that he wouldn't choke on his throw up.

All night she had nursed him, cleaning his face and bringing him water. She had used a medical Jutsu to get rid of some of the alcohol, but her chakra stores hadn't been enough to fully fix his body. Plus she sucked at medicine.

It had been around six in the morning that he finally woke up, feeling like shit. He hadn't questioned her, his now functioning mind taking in her disheveled state. _Sorry…_ was all he had to say. She had just grinned sleepily at him and made him some coffee.

--

Hinata had asked him later why he had gotten so damn drunk, but he just shrugged the question off. She hadn't asked him again, but she seemed curious. He couldn't bring himself to tell her, either.

_Yesterday was the anniversary of the day I found you…_

Sorry this is early/late. I'm not going to be here on Monday, so I worked on it today.

Hope you enjoyed, even though I don't like this chapter. It's not as...upbeat at some of the others. I promise it'll get better! I hope..

Also, I'm trying to make these chapters longer. This was seven pages in Word, but on here it's like 2k words...

SO. A question: Do you want longer chapters and less frequent updates or very frequent updates and super short chapters? I have no idea how you want it. I'm going to write it either way, but I still don't know what time/days are convenient for you all to read this.

Please review! I love them so much!


	7. Chunin Exams: part one

Hinata smiled when a Jonin named Anko burst into the room. She listened to their task and led Sasuke and Naruto to their next point, having Naruto send off three Kage Bushins to pack bags for them. No need to waste time.

Hinata had passed the first part of the exam easily. She knew all of the answers; they had been drilled into her when she had been learning about ninjas when she was younger. She noticed that Naruto didn't answer any but the last, and she guessed Sasuke used his Sharingan.

Many hopefuls had been weeded out, and they were one of the few teams.

--

Anko handed out forms to fill out so that Konaha wouldn't be responsible for any deaths in the forest. Hinata shivered when she heard a crow call from within, getting cut off from an unknown source. She took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve.

Squaring her shoulders, Hinata again led her team, this time into a small tent. They received a scroll, and Sasuke and Naruto argued over who got to hold the thing. She shoved the Heaven Scroll into her inside pouch and grabbed their ears, dragging them out with her.

Outside, she held back a giggle as Naruto wined about Sasuke getting to carry the scroll. She rolled her eyes and handed a 'scroll' to him. He accepted it with a large thanks, making Sasuke let out a sigh.

A little after, Hinata went over the looks they got. Many of the teams reguarded them with hostility, but many had eyed Naruto, trying to figure out why they made a show of giving it to them. They had even flashed that they had an Earth scroll.

It had actually been Sasuke's idea. Naruto would make a fake copy of the scroll, giving it to Hinata so that she could give it to him. Sasuke would act like he normally did if anyone said he wasn't able to do something. In all truth, Hinata had hidden their scroll in a place where no one would find it. She had sewn a few small pockets into her clothes, and she slipped it into one of the safest ones; the one between her breasts.

Only the perverted would check there, and only once they killed her. She vowed to not be killed, so it was safe.

--

Naruto shifted from foot to foot. Their gate was due to open in two minutes. He couldn't wait to show the idiots what he had learned. He could defend himself perfectly now, and he would be able to test his skills against anyone else.

_Bring it on!_

--

Hinata almost lost her focus as she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Her foot slipped and she fell, her body weight dragging her down towards the earth. She used her other foot to push off the tree with a burst of chakra. She reached the next tree and grabbed on with her hands, using her momentum to pull herself around it.

"I'm alright" she murmured, feeling Naruto and Sasuke get a little closer.

They were all on strict lookout for other teams. They were going to be cautious about this, because some of the outsiders looked scary. Again she spotted movement to her right side, even though the trees were flashing past at their speed. Hinata made a quick hand signal to her team and they sped up, landing in the next clearing they made it to.

--

After a brief fight with a foreign team (Hinata didn't know which one) they sped off to find a safe place. They quickly set up camp and shelter, working together. Sasuke and Naruto glared at each other sometimes, but they never spoke. For Hinata, it was easier. She didn't have to deal with them talking too loudly and attracting ninjas.

They finally took the time to look at their scroll.

Hinata gazed at it, her mind still processing the symbol.

"It's an Earth Scroll" she whispered.

--

Hinata finished packing the makeshift camp. They had discussed their options and decided that it would be easier to get to the tower the next day. They weren't going to risk trying to take away some of the competition. Most of it was gone anyways.

--

They were about halfway to the tower when it all went wrong.

**

* * *

Again, so sorry that it's short. I just really, really wanted to get this chapter out. I want to get them all out so fast haha. Plus I love cliff hangers.**

**Please tell me if I update too often,**

**~Electrified by Evil**


	8. Chunin Exams: part two

"We can take a break when we get to the tower" Hinata murmured when Sasuke stumbled on a tree branch. She figured that he needed to take a break, but she wanted to feel safe in the tower.

A glare met her eyes. "I tripped on something. I'm fine."

Hinata stopped short, landing easily on a tree branch.

"Shit."

And explosion went off on that tree, and Hinata whipped around in a circle, trying to find who was ambushing them. Naruto and Sasuke got into two different battle stances, eyes searching the area as well.

And then a single person appeared. Hinata reached behind her back and fingered the sword lying across her back. She didn't have the best of skills with it, but her father had made sure she was quick enough with it to defend herself.

"Leave now and we won't hurt you" Sasuke sneered.

The figure just smiled. It seemed to be a female ninja from grass.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, I'm not after your scroll."

Hinata blinked a few times. She figured that the ninja was after one of their scrolls, since that was what the task was.

"Then what do you want?" he continued to leer, ignoring Naruto's frantic signals to get away.

"You"

Hinata drew out her sword and ran at the woman. She faked right but stabbed left, her other hand shooting chakra out through her fingers. The woman kept up her smile. She sank down into the ground, made out of mud.

"Shit."

--

Naruto and Sasuke had been on the lookout for some time now. Every so often a mud clone would pop up and start talking about power, but Hinata always tapped some chakra points. Naruto hadn't done anything to help yet, and neither had Sasuke.

Hinata was tired, but she needed to find the real grass ninja and get rid of her so that they could escape. Suddenly, when the three genin were back to back, the foreign shinobi appeared.

Her frame was tense, and her eyes were narrowed.

"You are an annoyance. Get out of my way or die."

Hinata shook her head and the person raised an arm. She whipped her sword in front of her for protection. A smile marred the woman's face and she peeled off a mask of some sorts to reveal that it had been a he, not a she.

"Then prepare to die, weakling!"

Hinata barely had time to block as a sword appeared in the ninja's mouth, the man right in front of her. She felt her heart break as the sword that her father had gotten her for her birthday shattered. The man was going to pay.

Hinata flung the hilt at the man, not hitting but missing by a fraction of an inch. She charged and managed to hit a chakra point in the person's leg. This time it wasn't a mud clone. Satisfied that the ninja would be slowed down, she backed off and started to flash through some handseals.

Naruto took up the place that Hinata occupied and flood the man with clones, kicking and punching. Not one hit its mark, but they distracted the man long enough for Hinata to create another attack.

She threw one kunai at the long haired man, which soon turned into thousands as the jutsu took affect. Only a few hit, but he didn't seem affected. She gaped as he sank into the ground, effectively hiding from them.

"Jump!" she yelled to them. Naruto lunged for a tree, but Sasuke hesitated. In that hesitation he was pulled under the ground up to his head. He struggled, desperate for help, but Hinata had other things to worry about.

"Naruto! Get him out with clones! Use a double around!"

Naruto charged to do what she told him, accepting her as the team leader for the moment. Sasuke cursed loudly, and Hinata looked around for the man. His neck was stretching out, reaching closer to Sasuke…

Hinata charged, using a shushin to get there faster. She whipped out a kunai and used it as a makeshift sword, slashing for the long neck. The man, agitated, pulled away from Sasuke and started back on her.

"Don't know how to quit?" he taunted, locked in a dance with her. She tried to blast him with chakra, but he kept flaring his up as a makeshift shield.

Frustrated, she tried to distract him.

"What do you want with Sasuke??"

"I want to make him mine" his eyes gleamed as he managed to get many consecutive hits on her open side. "I can give him the power he wants."

Hinata, disgusted and bruised, just wanted this battle to be over right now. She heard Naruto panting with the effort of digging Sasuke out. She grimaced as she lost her focus. The ninja lashed out with a foot and she went flying into a tree. She landed awkwardly, her back throbbing. She knew she had broken some ribs.

As he advanced on her, she knew she was almost done. She knew she was going to die. She just wished she had time to tell her dad that she loved him. She shut her eyes and leaned her head back upon the tree trunk.

And then she could see. Her mind was flooded with images of black and white, trees and people different colors. She could _see _the chakra!

The grass ninja was a large mass of blue chakra, as was Sasuke. Sasuke didn't have as much chakra as the sanin, though. Naruto was the most different, as he had two chakras. His seemingly main source of chakra was the normal blue, but he also had red chakra swirling through his body. Hinata, suddenly feeling more energy than before, used a kunai to block the mans blade.

Since the blade he wielded broke through anything, her flimsy weapon only lasted for a few seconds. But it was all she needed, because he was surprised that she was still fighting. In a move that would have made her father proud, she smiled before she executed it.

Since he was in the perfect spot for her to attack, she shoved most of her still remaining chakra into it. She took a deep breath from her spot on the ground, Orochimaru's blade through her arm now.

"Chidori!" she screamed, her long hair fluttering around her. Her chakra could only support one of these, and she saved it for this occasion.

In her right hand was a ball of pale purple chakra, and she aimed the best she could. It had taken her two years to perfect this, and she only had one shot. The sphere had time to tear through the shocked ninjas stomach before he withdrew his blade from her body.

Blood spattered over both of them as Orochimaru thrust the blade into her own stomach. His wounds seemed to be healing already, but he looked slightly tired. He gave a sneer that was worthy of Sasuke and then licked his lips with a long tongue.

"If you survive this, my little butterfly, I'll make you the queen" he whispered to her, making his neck longer and placing a single bite onto her pale and bleeding throat. It was halfway inbetween her neck and shoulder.

From the pain of her whole body and now the bite, she cried out the first time the whole battle and fainted, falling mercifully into blackness.

--

Naruto and Sasuke watched in horror as the man turned from her and faced them. Naruto fought the urge to throw up. This man might have just killed his team mate. His friend.

His eyes turned red, and he wondered what was going on. Beside him, Sasuke shifted a little. Naruto could now scent the fear coming off of the raven, along with the smugness rolling off of Orochimaru in waves. He could hear the rise and fall of Hinata's short breaths, and the heavy scent of blood.

He roared and lost control, still fighting the tide of red that swam over his vision. This man was not going to hurt anyone else! He couldn't! A hatred of snakes washed over him and he attacked.

--

Sasuke watched as his other team mate got bathed in red. A strong feeling of dread overtook him. He was back in Wave, and he was getting pummeled by a boy not much older than him. He was useless, and he could only watch as Sakura and Ino left their positions guarding Tazuna to get to him. He felt two girls next to him and he cried out as they got hit too.

_They weren't supposed to die!_

Frozen in his spot, his mind replayed that scene over and over again in slow motion. He couldn't do a thing to save them from his anger. He was weak. Couldn't save them. Weak.

Naruto got tossed back into him, and he was mercifully saved from himself. Naruto let out a growl and sliced his face.

"You're not hurt are you…scaredy-cat?"

Sasuke glared and jumped up. His Sharingan was spinning in his eyes, and he watched as the snake-bastard ran for him, his sword in hand now. He didn't bother keeping it in his mouth anymore.

Naruto and Sasuke charged as one at the man, speed on their side. They overtook him and managed to get a few kicks in. Sasuke had to backpedal once when the sword almost nicked him. He made a few handseals and let a stream of flame burst out of his mouth.

Orochimaru got excited when the blond made thousands of clones. He used some of his blood and hit the ground with it, summoning something huge. Hundreds of Naruto clones poofed away, causing the smoke to linger longer.

--

Naruto couldn't control his body. He just felt like he should get revenge on the man who killed his Hinata-chan. When he thought of something to attack the bastard with, his body just…did it. Suddenly he realized that it was the Kyuubi, who was reading his mind and carrying out attacks against the snake.

Naruto made a promise to ask the fox why he didn't just take over his body instead of helping him. He kicked the snake in the head before getting out of the way of the fire ball Sasuke sent at them. He sent a wind Jutsu through as well, combining with the hot fire, making the attack even better.

Naruto forgot the handseals right as he thought to remember them for later. That somehow made him even angrier than before and he redoubled his efforts.

--

Sasuke bit his lip as the wires surrounding his body tightened. He was pinned to a tree, and the pain was too much.

And then Naruto was there, kicking the man in the head. Now distracted, Sasuke had time to get free. As he struggled, a Naruto clone, still decked out in the creepy red chakra appeared in front of him. He struggled even harder until the clone rested a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

A burning sensation spread through his arm. He fought to cry out, thinking of how much stronger he thought he had been. A clawed hand ripped through the wires easily and Sasuke was free.

--

Naruto was so tired, and he collapsed right after the red chakra was released. The Kyuubi had decided that enough was enough. He fainted after seeing a purple haired woman jump in front of him, attacking with great force.

--

Sasuke ran to pick up his team mates after the woman told him to run. He wasn't going to leave anyone behind this time. Naruto didn't shift at all when he tossed him over his shoulder. Since he still had chakra left, he handed the blond to a shadow clone after it was created. He told him to get to the tower as quickly and safely as he could and then found Hinata.

--

Hinata was in bad shape. He cursed at the thought of no medical Justus. He had the small one that Hinata taught him for cuts, but he didn't think that would help. With no other choice, he ran chakra into his eyes again, revealing his Sharingan to the world.

He focused and brought up the Jutsu in his mind. His body reacted quickly, making the handseals needed. The faint glow of green chakra lit up the darkening sky, and he forced more chakra into the Jutsu.

Since the wound could kill her the fastest, he worked on the stomach wound first. He had to rip apart the bottom of her shirt to get at it, and he laid his hands on her. He pushed his chakra into her, smiling a little when he saw the slow process of healing.

When her stomach was closed up, he hurriedly checked the rest of her body. He somehow managed to fix three ribs before he decided she was alright to move. Her breathing was mostly normal, but now he needed real help.

--

Sasuke finally caught up to his clone, who was waiting outside the tower door. They couldn't get in without the rest of their team. Sasuke closed his eyes and dug out their two scrolls, making sure not to go near the girls chest.

He ran in and opened the scrolls after reading the message on the wall. He grinned slightly as he saw smoke, and then a person was there. It just happened to be their sensei.

"Help" he managed to get out before he passed out, still gripping Hinata as he too fell into the darkness.

--

Kakashi had been prepared to give them the best welcome he could muster.

But when he saw how they looked, horror washed over him. They were a mess. He ran towards them, catching Hinata and Sasuke at the same time. He just barely heard what Sasuke muttered, and he picked up Naruto as well.

He ran for the medical section. He didn't know too many medical Justus, and they had been hurt too badly to not receive medical attention. He guessed it had something to do with that 'genin' on the loose in the forest.

As he handed over his daughter and then the two boys, he hoped with his entire heart that they would be okay.

--

Hours later, Sasuke woke up. He was the first of them.

His first thought was about Hinata. He desperately hoped she was okay. If he hadn't been able to save her because of his own weakness, he felt like he would lose himself. He ripped the covers off the bed he was in and happened to glance across the room. Naruto was sleeping deeply in his bed, not even snoring.

Satisfied that Naruto was alright, he slipped out the door. Kakashi was waiting for him. He had never seen the man this hopeless. Even with a mask, Sasuke could tell this man was hurting.

"I'm so sorry" Sasuke murmured.

Kakashi slowly turned his head to look at him. He lifted a hand to point to the double doors that Sasuke realized Hinata was behind.

"I should have fought him myself…I should have made her stay back" the desperation flooded out in his voice. "It's my fault, I didn't mean for her to get hurt. She was so strong"

Sasuke heard sobbing and found that it was him. Kakashi was drawing him into a hug and sitting him down on the bench with the man. He couldn't understand why he was crying his heart out for this girl that he had known for a week. She had never quit, though, even when she was at deaths door.

He hadn't cried like this since Itachi had left him alone.

--

Kakashi was so scared for his daughter. He wished he had learned some important medical Jutsus so that he could be helping. They had been in there for over ten hours now. No word on her. And then Sasuke had come out of the room. At first he had looked sane, but when he spotted Kakashi he had gone ballistic.

Kakashi noted the change in additide. Maybe there was hope for Sasuke yet.

If they could save Hinata, that is.

--

Naruto woke up next, still feeling horrible. He checked his chakra stores and felt only a fourth of them. He didn't care too much, however. He too raced out of the room. Kakashi and Sasuke were sitting on a bench outside two double doors. The light that signaled they were still working on the girl was lit up.

When he looked back to Kakashi, he saw something that he never wished to see for the rest of his life. Kakashi, who had never shown any emotion to them other than anger and indifference…was crying.

* * *

...Enjoy?


	9. In Which Sasuke Gives a hug?

Hinata felt like crap. Her breathing was hampered by most of her ribs being broken, and she knew that a gaping hole in her stomach wasn't the best thing either. But the worst thing was the bite.

The bite that Orochimaru had given her wasn't actually just a bite. It was a curse seal. Specifically, the Curse Seal of Heaven.

Hinata's whole body felt like it was on fire. Molten lava seemed to flow through her veins instead of blood.

She screamed and her body arched up off the floor when her arm was reset. She hadn't known she had broken it. She heard a faint apology and then the same snapping pain. She guessed, through her pain, that they set it wrong the first time.

She didn't know how she felt these things around her. It was the third time they had to redo the simple procedure that she passed out again.

--

She woke up feeling normal. She checked her body over, suspicious. She was in her the academy, in the school yard. She didn't remember coming here.

That thought was forgotten as she found hundreds of people around her, taunting her and exposing her to all her fears.

"Stuttering freak!"

"Weird eyes!"

"Monster!"

"Dumb!"

"Dead!"

--

In the waking realm, Hinata's body seemed to thrash around. Dozens of medics rushed around her, trying to hold her still.

"She's having a seizure!"

"Hold her down!"

"Clear!"

--

Finally they had stabilized the poor girl. The main medic had fired the two people who had re-broken Hinata's arm three times in order to set it correctly. She would do it herself next time.

She flipped off the light that was outside and she slipped through the doors. Outside, three men were sleeping lightly. One was an adult, maybe his mid twenties. He had silver hair and a mask. Kari figured that he was the girls sensei, as two younger men were next to him.

One had blond hair and faint whisker lines on his face. The other had raven colored hair and a frown on his face. He seemed to be disappointed in something.

She confidently tapped the man on the shoulder. He must have been waiting here the whole twenty hours, as it took him a moment to realize what was going on.

And then all three of them were awake, and staring at her like she was an angel. She blushed faintly but started in on her lecture.

"How did you dare let her get this damaged? She's stabilized for now, but-"

The relief on the Jonin sensei's face made her job worthwhile. He stood up and strode closer to her. He gripped her shoulders tightly and stared into her eyes with one piercing one.

"Is she going to be okay?" his tone was more fatherly than a teacher.

She just nodded, a small smile finally crossing her face. "She's going to make it."

--

Kakashi was so happy for his student, hell his daughter, that he kissed the medic on the lips. He picked her up and twirled her around, not noticing the wide eyes behind him or the astonished look on her face.

--

When Kari finally let them see her, Hinata was sleeping peacefully. She still muttered things, though, and she sometimes twitched. She guessed it was a nightmare or something similar to one. No matter what they did, though, Hinata wouldn't wake up.

Kakashi held her hand, pulling a chair up close to her bed. He didn't recoil, but he flinched at contact. Her skin was as cold as death itself. He checked her breathing again. It was alright, but when she murmured something he had to lean closer to hear it.

"…She's muttering something about being…alone…" he murmured, making sure the two boys heard him.

--

Sasuke drew two more chairs to the other side of Hinata's bed. He sat in one and offered the other to Naruto. He leaned close, taking Hinata's other hand within his. She was indeed freezing. He gripped her hand tighter and leaned closer.

What Kakashi said astonished him. Alone? She had more friends than anyone he knew in the village! Hell, now _he _cared about her! She was the opposite of alone!

Still….

--

Naruto stroked her hair, willing her to be okay. He had started to see the real Hinata, and he was being drawn even closer to her. He wondered if he was getting his first crush. At first it had been Sakura, but that didn't count anymore.

--

Hinata felt a three stronger presences, which made the situation even more lifelike. She had never felt so alone; even her father had hit her. She didn't know what was going on, but her moral level had gone from eighty percent to negative ten million.

A soothing voice could be heard, but she didn't dare uncurl from her ball of protection. The villagers that she thought had been her friends had been kicking her for the past…who knows. She didn't have any sense of time here.

--

Sasuke and Kakashi were murmuring to her, and Naruto took over Hinata's hand. She had gotten even colder, and her skin had gone deathly pale. Kakashi had called for a nurse a few times, but no one had shown up. And then her heart rate had begun going down. With her breathing slowing, Kakashi felt about ready to cry again.

Finally Naruto made twenty clones and sent them out, running for a nurse or two. They needed someone, now. Sasuke's voice had gotten louder with his growing anxiety, and pretty soon he was yelling for her to wake up.

"Get up! You're fine! I know you are! Hinata! HINATA!!"

--

Hinata heard her name being called again and again. Each one made a villager disappear. And then they were all gone, other than her three boys. She uncurled a little, her body hurting.

Kakashi was suddenly there, at her side. They all were. She took a giant breath and felt a bed below her. She glanced around wildly. The three that were sitting around her did the same. They didn't know what to do for a moment.

Since she was sitting up, it was easier for Kakashi to lunge for a hug. Hinata, still thinking that they were going to hurt her, shrank down. Kakashi didn't hesitate anyways and gripped her in a hug that nearly crushed her ribs again.

"Ow" was all she could get out.

The hug immitiately ended, as Kakashi let go of her.

"Sorry" he apologized before Naruto hugged her the same way. He was a little easier on her, and she waited until he was done with great patience.

Naruto leaned back and smiled at her, his eyes full of worry. Sasuke actually hugged her too. It was the strangest thing. She awkwardly pat him on the back when he continued to murmur 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry'.

--

Kakashi had gotten in the bed with her, sitting her on his lap. He knew that she had almost died, and they had gone over what had happened. He held her in a light hug, comforting her like a father. Naruto and Sasuke sat on the end of the bed, listening to her tale and telling her theirs.

When she mentioned the beatings and taunts from them in her dream, they voiced their concerns. They all hugged her again, and that was when they crawled in with her. She was grateful that they really did care that much.

--

Since they had gotten in at the end of the second day, and it took the medics about a day to heal her entirely, they had two days left. Hinata made sure to take it easy, and they didn't do much else other than sleep and eat.

They had moved into another room, and she was grateful that the bed was bigger. That night she had a nightmare, and she had crawled into Kakashi's bed with him. She didn't care that all he wore was boxers; he was her father and her mind didn't process that something could look odd.

She snuggled in with him and she felt better. She didn't have a nightmare the rest of the night.

--

Finally she felt fully better. The seal on her shoulder had been suppressed by her dad, and it didn't bother her too much. She had felt slightly angry at the snake sanin, but they told her that it was normal. Anko had been brought in to her after she had been saved and healed and had explained what it was.

Since it worked so well on Hinata, Kakashi had offered to do the same to Anko's seal. She had been thanking him over and over, even though she was not known to do so. She had followed them around, forgetting that it was her duty to make sure nothing else went wrong. She acted like Kakashi was a god.

--

Hinata had also spent time with Anko alone, since she was the only one she knew at the tower so far. Anko showed her a better way to hold her hair up; in a ponytail. Since Hinata had kept it long, it was tied up at the base of her neck. It hung down, straight, and Hinata felt better about it. It wouldn't get in her way anymore.

When Naruto saw how she styled her hair now, he smiled a foxy grin at her. She blushed and turned to see what Sasuke thought. She now knew that she thought of him as a friend, too. He had nodded and given a weak smile. She found out later that her hair style and color reminded him of his brother. Their hair was styled the same, bangs and all.

--

Hinata was relieved that all of her friends had made it to the next stage. Some had made it by the skin of their teeth, but they had made it. Hinata and the rest of them were all carted along to the next place, where they were told they would fight it out.

As they watched from the rails, the board at the top of the stadium showed a randomizer being set into motion. Hinata hoped that some of the newcomers would be able to fight. Many of Konaha's ninjas were still tired from the previous task.

And the first match was up.

* * *

Goodness, I was so excited at finishing so many chapters on my trip that I decided to post another one. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I figured that the other one was worse. Ahaha.

Hopefully I'll get more reviews, too. D:


	10. In Which Hinata Freaks Out

**Uzumiki Naruto vs. Hyuuga Neji**

Hinata smiled at Naruto.

"That was quick. Good luck!" she hugged him and Sasuke slapped him lightly on the back.

Naruto jumped down into the center and waved to his team. He tripped walking and fell. Laughs resonated around the arena, but Naruto didn't seem embarrassed. He got Hinata and Sasuke roaring with laughter when he bowed a few times.

Neji walked down calmly, too proud to jump or run down. He sneered at Naruto, looking down on him.

"Just give up now. It's not worth it. Destiny states that I will win this."

"Destiny? Well, shit. Guess I'm gonna lose."

--

Hinata watched as Naruto tried everything he could against Neji. Her pale eyes widened as she noticed Neji's face. His eyes looked just like hers! She turned to Kakashi, confused.

"Uhm, dad? Who's that?"

Suddenly he was buried in his orange book, not wanting to face her. She narrowed her eyes dangerously and grabbed it. He let her drag it away from his face before shrugging.

"I give up, who?"

Hinata sighed and tossed his book back. He stuffed it into his belt and grabbed her hand, dragging her to a secluded part of their vantage point. Kakashi gazed down at Naruto a moment more before looking back to Hinata.

"So?" she asked, still not knowing why here eyes were the same as that boy Neji. And Kakashi's eyes were normal…..And then she remembered what had happened right before Orochimaru had bitten her. She had seen…chakra.

"Let me start of with this. I love you and I will never stop loving you. I promise that I will be there for you, even when I'm gone."

Hinata sat down, expecting this to be a long speech. He sat down as well, leaning against the wall for support.

"Promise me you'll always remember that."

Hinata nodded, but Kakashi shook his head.

"You have to _promise me._"

She blinked at his force behind the words. He sounded desperate to tell her this.

"O-okay, I promise. I'll always remember you love me."

Kakashi watched her for a moment, then began again.

"Your real name is Hyuuga Hinata. You belong to the Hyuuga clan. Well, at least, you did."

Hinata blinked a few times. She was supposed to be in the same clan as that stuck up snob Naruto was fighting?

Kakashi continued. "I was coming back from a really tough mission one night. I just wanted to get drunk and go home forever. Upon my walk to the bar, I noticed a little baby, no more than three months old, on a roof. I jumped up to grab her and right away noticed the little girls' eyes."

"Mine" she murmured.

"Yes. You had been from the main house, but the clan head didn't want a girl. So they pretended that Neji had been you instead and didn't tell anyone that they named you Hinata or that you were a girl. Neji didn't get the cursed seal put on him and they tried to forget about you." It all came out in a blurt.

Hinata was silent, thinking about what had happened to her at such a young age.

"But here's the important part, Hinata. I didn't want you to die. I didn't want you to be alone. I didn't want you to be like…me."

Hinata was still silent. "Hinata, what I did that day changed my life. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't change a thing. Because you know what? I really do love you. With all my heart and more. To me, you are my daughter, Hatake Hinata."

--

Hinata was quiet only a minute more. She spoke quietly, and Kakashi listened carefully.

"You've never told me I was adopted. You never told me! You never told me!" she got louder with each shout. Everyone other than Naruto or Neji turned to see what was going on. Hinata was on her feet now, her anger at him boiling over.

Kakashi was standing as well, and even though he was older and taller, she seemed to tower over him. He looked quite scared, and she was soon yelling at the top of her lungs.

And then it was over. Hinata had a somewhat creepy smile on her face, and everyone quickly turned back to the match, which was just about ending.

"I hope you're happy, Kakashi, because as soon as this is over I'm going to move out and never come back." She said it so quietly and seriously that he took the entire thing to heart.

--

Naruto finally ended up winning, using newfound skills and muscles to help him. He did like the knowledge that Neji could do the same thing as Hinata-chan; close chakra paths. He knew just how to open them again, too. So he could keep going against his foe, whereas Neji didn't have the same limitless chakra the blond had.

Naruto hopped up to the stands, grinning madly. Sasuke pounded his fist and he looked for Hinata. He didn't hear her temper flare earlier.

"Hinata-chan! Didja see? Did you? I won!"

Hinata was heading towards Sasuke, but once she saw Naruto she changed her path.

"I did! You were awesome!" she gushed, hugging him. "I'm proud of you!" she went on.

He grinned and hugged her back. "Yeah…"

--

The next match up was **Choji vs. Dosu.**

To say the least, it went poorly for the chubby boy. He got hit with sound waves that made him faint. Dosu would go on to the next round.

--

**Shino vs. Zaku**

Shino won his round by plugging Zaku's remaining sound chamber with his bugs, killing many of them off but winning easily.

--

**Lee vs. Kin**

The green clad boy was so fast that Kin had no chance. She tried her best, but she was no match for the speed demon.

--

**Misumi vs. Kiba**

Kiba and Akamaru double-teamed the girl, but she still pulled out ahead. Her abilities were quicker and stronger than his.

--

**Sasuke vs. Tenten**

Sasuke fought his hardest, too. He had in fact learned a lot about determination and courage, and he fought proudly. It wasn't enough to beat the weapons mistress, but even as she was declared the winner, he found that he didn't mind.

--

**Kankuro vs. Temari**

The two siblings actually looked relieved. They jumped down and faced each other. But before Hayate could say begin, Kankuro bowed out. Neither one had to fight. No one knew what they could do.

--

Hinata watched the matches side by side with Naruto, wondering why Kakashi had never told her. She had a right to know! And he lied. He lied to her by telling her about her mother, and how he gave her what smarts or looks. She was angry, and she actually missed her name when it was put up on the board.

**Hatake Hinata vs. Gaara.**

* * *

Hey guys. Sorry I haven't posted anything for awhile. Been a busy week.

Also, it's been a busy day. From 8-5 (I got up at six) I've been running around, making, cooking, cutting, and serving pizza. I also cleaned tables, plates, floors, and other stuff. I'm so tired right now that I'm posting and then taking a nap. Haha.

I just wanted to say that because this chapter (and the next) are so short (and shitty) that I'm posting them together. I might throw in the next next one because you've all been so generous with the reviews. Not a single flame and counting! I love you guys!

~Electrified by Evil


	11. In Which You Read the Shortest Chapter

Hinata glanced at the red-head that she was paired up with. His siblings seemed to be afraid of him, as they stood at least five feet away from him. She gulped and jumped into the arena, landing and walking over to her spot to stand. Gaara appeared in a swirl of sand.

Again she gulped hard, trying to ignore the bad vibes she was feeling. She had to get through the exams, and this was the only way to do it. She clenched her hands into fists, her heart pumping slightly faster. This was it.

And then the proctor jumped back, giving them space. Gaara didn't move, but the sand around his feet jumped out like a whip. It was aimed at her.

Hinata withdrew five shirukin and lobbed them at Gaara. He didn't move to dodge. Right before they would hit him, a wall of sand leapt up and blocked them. Now a little interested, Hinata ran along the side of the wall. She jumped at him, running, randomly dodging the sand that followed her. Gaara just stood there, arms crossed. His eyes looked blank.

She gripped a kunai and tossed it at him, but the barrier caught that as well. The closer she got, the worse her stomach felt. Waves of anger and lust for blood flooded out from him. She narrowed her eyes and got ready to punch him with chakra.

The sand went up in an instant, trapping her hand in a tight grip. Her eyes went wide and he finally showed emotion. His feral grin grew as the sand crawled up her arm. And then he lifted his hand. He closed it shut with a small yell, and the sand tightened enough to make her arm explode.

His smile disappeared, though, when Hinata poofed away in a little smoke cloud. Another Hinata shimmered into view in front of him, and then out. His face snarled into a frown, and tendrils of sand flew out, searching for something solid.

Hinata had cast a genjutsu on him the moment she saw him get down there. It was tiny and subtle, but he hadn't caught on. She wanted to test his abilities, and she was glad she switched with a clone before she attempted to punch him.

She made a few clones, making sure that they were under the Genjutsu. He still didn't know where she was, so she sent the clones, a few with the explosive chakra, at him. He didn't notice until they walked calmly up to him, surrounding him in the tightest circle they could manage.

Since they hadn't felt the need to hurt him, yet, the sand hadn't gone up to protect him. He was still looking wildly around, trying to see her.

And then they exploded.

Gaara was thrown back, actually hurt a little from the explosion. His sand had saved him, but it wasn't fast enough to protect his entire face. There was a long gash across his left cheek, and he felt it with a wail. He had never been hurt before.

And then his eyes changed a bit. He stopped his noise and his sand and some of the floor slammed up, searching even faster. The ground under her feet was disturbed, and because he felt pain the genjutsu was broken. He spotted her.

"I'm gonna kill you!" his voice sounded across the way. Three jonin jumped down into the ring to intervene, but sand had already begun to crawl up her legs. She screamed and created three clones to help her get out. More sand destroyed them instantly. It dragged her a little bit from the wall.

Hinata felt the sand rising up her legs and she tried to drag herself away. She finally felt her anger give way to fear and she started clawing at the wall she was against, crying out for her father.

"Dad!" Tears streaming down her face, she felt the sand tighten around her body.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Hinata felt so much pain; it felt like she was reliving the curse mark again. She let out a blood-curdling scream that made everyone cover their ears in pain of their own. She felt her heart shatter, and she thrashed around, another seizure gripping her. The curse seal also started acting up, sending her into shock.

And then the sand was dragged away and strong arms picked her up. She felt a slight jostling, but she curled up into the warm body the best she could. It all hurt so much. She realized that fate was trying to tell her something. Fate wanted her dead.

* * *

Told you it was shitty.


	12. In Which I Stop Titling These Oddly

Once again Kakashi sat outside a medic exam room. Hinata had both of her legs broken, which were apparently easy to fix, but since she was so scared her heart had brought her into shock and then a seizure.

One medic was brought in to heal her legs while the other dozen worked on keeping her heart going. Shock and adrenaline had weakened her heart, and now she was being worked on.

Kakashi knew that in her fear of dying in that moment that she wanted him to know that she didn't mean she hated him. She had told him with her supposed dying breath that she loved him too, and if she lived she would never move out.

He hoped that she would live. She was the light of his life. She knew about death and the ninja ways, but she was still an innocent little girl. His innocent little girl.

--

This time, Hinata recovered easily. Her legs were fine, a little sore, but fine. They knew what kind of blood she needed, and exactly the right way to get her back to normal. Kakashi was let in to see her after they finished.

She was asleep, but he sat down and watched her. He was just happy that she was okay. For a little while his mind shut down again and went into panic mode. He thought she was going to die. And he couldn't bear that.

He was stroking her hair gently when she woke up. Her eyes focused slowly on her father, who smiled gently down at her. She broke into a smile, but then remembered what had happened and started sobbing.

"What's wrong, my little Hina-chan?" Kakashi murmured, drawing her into a hug.

She buried her face into his chest.

"I'm sorry" she whispered. "I guess I was never mad. I'm sorry"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. I should have trusted how mature you were and told you years ago."

Hinata gave him a watery smile. "Gomen. I've gotten your vest all snotty."

"Eh. It's a vest. I don't care about it as much as I care about you, little one."

She smiled again and curled up into his body. He slid into the bed with her and sat up against the pillows carefully. She leaned against him, supported by the arms around her waist.

"Thank you…dad."

--

Once Sasuke and Naruto knew that she was awake, they rushed in. Kakashi was sitting in a chair next to her bed, and she was scarfing down some ramen. Kakashi had to get it while she was asleep, because the nurses hated having people bring in food. The hospital food was usually worse than the injury, though.

Naruto ran into the room, smiling and laughing. Sasuke followed a little slower but all smiles too. His hands were shoved into his pockets.

"Hello, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun" she spoke quietly, still eating. She knew they didn't care if she ate just as quickly as Naruto. She was in the hospital.

"Guess what, Hina-chan!" Naruto shouted, excited. Hinata blushed at the honorific.

"What, Naruto-kun?"

"Since Gaara made the threat that he would kill you, he got disqualified! And even though you were taken out early, they said that you would go on to the next round!"

Hinata's eyes went wide. "Really?"

Kakashi looked surprised too. He had missed the end, where they told them they had a month or so to train some more and then battle it out with new people.

"Who is Hinata against?"

"Oh! Uhm…….."

Sasuke cleared his throat nervously, glancing at nothing in particular.

Naruto looked down to the ground.

"Me."

--

Hinata had been a little let down to know that she was facing Naruto in the finals. They weren't the first fight, however, so they had time to prepare by watching the others and figure out a new strategy.

"So we have a month to train…hmmm"

"Well, Hinata, I'm putting you under strict rules for this. You still need to rest today and then maybe tomorrow. _Then and only then _can you start training again."

"Awww. Spoil-sport."

"It's for your own good!"

"Oh sure."

"It's true!"

"Haha. Okay, dad."

--

Kakashi now had the trouble of training the two kids that were going to fight…each other. He couldn't teach both of them for fear of giving one of them more instruction than the other.

He made plans to meet with a few other people and ask them to take on Naruto. He didn't want to subject the kid to thinking he didn't want to train him, but he knew Hinata better and could therefore help her more.

Plus, he heard rumors of Jiraiya being back.

--

Kakashi told Naruto two days later that he would be helped by another teacher. He kindly explained his dilemma.

Naruto had understood and asked about what Sasuke would do.

"Probably train. He's not in need for the exams, but that's no reason to get lazy. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have him work with me one day and then you the next."

"Okay….so who's going to be my new sensei?" Naruto questioned, getting excited.

"I'm going to take you to meet him right now…"

--

"Kakashi-sensei, I thought you were taking me to my new sensei" Naruto wined.

Kakashi caught Naruto, holding a hand over his mouth. He waited a moment before continuing on. "I am" he whispered. He didn't want to get caught there if they were spotted.

They were hiding near the hot springs in Konaha, behind some bushes. They were closer to the women's spring, and Naruto had immediately called him a pervert. Loudly.

Kakashi had to henge them into plants for ten minutes, making sure they didn't get caught again. Those ladies were horrible to perverts.

And then, after he knew it was a little okay to talk, Kakashi explained why they were there. Of course, Kakashi never denied being a pervert….

--

After Naruto met his…super pervert teacher, Kakashi left quickly. He had cashed in a favor from Jiraiya today, so that meant he owed the man something. He didn't want to stick around to see if he'd cash that in right away.

He was also late to train Hinata, and she would be pissed that he was late. He had almost never been late because if he was, she forced him to eat a burnt dinner. He hated it when she did that. He hated burnt things.

--

Hinata was waiting patiently for once. Kakashi had told her about having to find Naruto's new sensei, so she was trying to spar with Sasuke. He kept asking about the chidori, though. He kept insisting that he could learn it right away with his Sharingan. She declined each time, insisting herself that he should learn it properly. She showed him the first step to learning it, but he wasn't having much luck.

Hinata had finally just made ten shadow clones and set them upon their daily run. She worked on push ups and sit ups. Sasuke had to ask about them, too.

She was getting frustrated.

"To work on keeping myself fit! Who knows how long I'll have to fight or run or carry someone!"

Sasuke had then joined her. She didn't mind him asking questions, but this was the simple stuff! She was glad that he changed, though. Before he was cold and distant. Now he was like a less energetic Naruto.

--

Hinata fell to the ground, exhausted. This was just like the good old days, when she did this for fun. She had just lost her latest spar with Kakashi, who didn't even look winded. She took a deep breath and got up for one last spar before going home.

--

Kakashi was, in reality, quite tired. She had worked hard today….and this was only the first day! They still had three and a half weeks left. She struggled up one last time before falling over, asleep from chakra exhaustion. He sighed and walked over, picking her up carefully.

Sasuke, who had taken a break a moment before, got up as well.

"Are we done?" the raven asked, more curious than angry.

Kakashi nodded and shifted her in his arms, trying to keep one hand under her legs and one behind her back comfortably. She shifted around sometimes, and it made it difficult to carry her.

"For today."

--

For Sasuke, the training went too quickly. He learned so many things, but it felt like time sped by. Part of him wished he had learned more to defeat Itachi. The sane part of his mind, however, told him that it was okay to take his time, not to let anger get the best of him. He had seen where that got him.

The raven never even realized that some of his anger had…gone.

* * *

PS DID I SPELL THE PERVERTS NAME CORRECTLY? I LOOKED IT UP BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAUGHT THEM ALL PLEASE TELL ME THANKS A LOT SEE YOU


	13. Hinatachan vs Narutokun

Hinata took a deep breath and walked into the stadium, her gaze wandering the area. There seemed to be hundreds of people there. Behind her stood Kakashi, who gripped her shoulder in comfort.

"You'll do fine" he murmured, and she realized that he was right.

She stood on the balcony where the contestants were gathered soon after, and she greeted Sasuke. He wasn't participating, but he figured he'd show his support by staying with them. Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

--

Naruto showed up in a flurry of leaves right before the Hokage started his little speech about how it was a wonderful event with their allies and to do their best. A short, white haired man stood next to him, looking so out of place that Hinata did a double take. When she got over her surprise, she noticed the tiny henge that the man wore.

She smiled at him right before he swirled away again, leaving them alone. She wished him good luck but added that she was going to kick his butt.

"Good luck as well, Hina-chan."

--

Hinata watched Shino crush Dosu. She had to admit, Shino really was good against the sound ninjas. She didn't cringe when Naruto stepped up behind her, bringing her into a tight hug.

"Good luck, Hinata-chan. Whatever happens, we're still friends!" He whispered, making sure she was the only one to hear those words.

Hinata blushed and nodded. She turned to see Shino walking calmly back up to the stands. She blinked; had he really won so quickly? She took a deep breath; she could win this, even though she knew that Naruto should be the one to go on. He could still make chunin if he fought well enough. And he would fight to his best abilities. No going easy because they were friends.

--

Hinata stepped into a light Taijutsu stance and waited for the proctor to signal a go. She focused her eyes on Naruto, quietly activating her eyes while she waited. Naruto was still in his normal form, waiting for her to come at him. She heard the signal to start and she started running.

This was it. She threw a punch, expecting it to miss. She ducked a kick and lashed out with both fists, pushing her body into his. She was surprised that she hit him so easily and wondered if he was going easy on her.

"Don't hold back" she growled.

She wanted to have a real fight, where one person wasn't overwhelemed by sheer evil. Her match with Gaara made her wary of him, but it also made her feel sad. Someone like that should be happy that they could help their village like that, but they went and turned away from the light.

Naruto brought her out of her reverie with a kick to the face. She spit out some blood that trickled into her mouth and narrowed her eyes. It helped focus her vision on the blond boy. His chakra was already being molded, and a second later the handseals began. She made some rapid ones of her own, ending with a quiet yell, not wanting anyone to know what it was until she was done.

"Water Technique: Mass Bullet Jutsu"

--

Naruto watched her make hand seals ten times faster than his. Cursing, he gave up his idea and made a new plan. His eyes widened when the large blobs of water came shooting out at him. _What the hell, Hinata??_

--

Hinata shot ten bullets of water at him, staying in one place but moving her head slightly when he dodged. Her Byakugan allowed her to see everything, so she could see him spinning and jumping, trying to dodge the water instead of hiding and attacking back. She finally stopped and charged at him, using the cover of one of the bullets. _Got you!_

But when she got to Naruto, he was gone. Just…gone. She glanced around, deactivating her eyes when a giant flash of light nearly blinded her. Because it stunned her a bit, she had to rely on her other senses. Her eyes still closed, she focused chakra to her nose. Naruto's scent appeared right in front of her, and she threw up her arms in a cross to protect her from a vicious punch.

"Got you!" Naruto crowed triumphantly when she stumbled over a kunai on the ground. Naruto had dropped it earlier, steps ahead of her. He rushed her, but her eyes snapped open again as he was close and she hit him eight times on various points on his body. He flopped to the ground, chakra points closed. Hinata made three exploding clones and shut her eyes.

The clones surrounded him on the ground, and when he forced chakra to resume its path through his body they exploded. His skin started healing immediately, but for the moment he had to make some regular clones to protect him.

Hinata again used a different sense. This time she used her ears. She heard the quietest swish of cloth and she kicked out her foot to the right, then spun on her hand to lash out at the clone on the left. She grinned as she destroyed all of them quickly, actually hoping for more. They gave her a good fight.

Then it was over, and Naruto was flashing through handseals. She cursed and backpedaled, trying to get her Jutsu finished first. They finished at the same time, shouting out in odd unison.

"Earth Technique: Spike Shield!"

"Wind Technique: Mass Wind Release!"

Hinata was glad she had chosen this shield. Thirty large spikes rumbled out of the ground and surrounded her, pointing out at various angles. The last one formed just as a hurricane strength wind ripped through half of the makeshift shield. Hinata herself was crouched down, her eyes activated again. Her hands were flashing through more handseals. She stopped when her shoulder erupted in pain.

Naruto was leaping into the pit of spikes, searching for her while balancing on the spikes. Hinata grimaced and made the sign for shadow clones. Only two appeared, even though she was hoping for ten. She frowned but they jumped off to intercept Naruto. She let out a huff and made some more handseals, only pushing a small amount of chakra into the Jutsu.

It made her shoulder hurt a little, but she ignored it and kept her hands together in a circle, where she stopped seals. She closed her eyes and then forced them open to see where she was aiming. She felt the memories of her clones flood her brain and she stomped her foot. The spike that Naruto was balancing on shot up, making him land on his butt, the spike just an inch from his face. He paled and made a handsign, switching out from his spot with the newly made clone.

Hinata, not wanting to waste her limited chakra, pushed more and more of the spike towards Naruto. He jumped around on them, even managing to get three of them smashed together. She eventually had to let go of the Jutsu when the seal on her shoulder forced her to the ground. She writhed in pain for a moment before struggling back to her feet.

Naruto had an attack charged up, but he only released part of it's power. He noticed her Cursed Seal acting up and figured that if she didn't have it this battle might be over, with her as the victor.

"Mass Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Hundreds of shadow clones flooded her, but she just kicked and punched them away. She had decided to stick with Taijutsu, since using chakra seemed to irritate the seal. She figured that it was just a problem they would fix later.

She eventually pulled out her sword, swishing it quickly from it's sheath resting on her back. She slashed the clones away, keeping a close watch for exploding ones. Those she used a Gentle Fist move and closed a chakra pathway so that she had enough time to kick away before it exploded.

--

Naruto continued to make clones, actually trying to think of a plan. Whatever he threw at her, she could parry it with something smooth and tossed something even worse back at him. He knew that they weren't going full out, but he decided on something important in those last few seconds of calm.

--

And then there was chaos.

* * *

Suspenseful, no?

This is actually my best (and favorite) battle scene. I worked hard on it, and it flowed. Kind of.

Also, I'm posting late because I'm sick. I took a nap and then did homework. I just finished this chapter after doing math. Ugh. I hope you guys appreciate this. Night. Till next chapter,

~Electrified by Evil


	14. Gaara Lets Loose

Hinata abandoned her Jutsu when she noticed thousands of white feathers drifting down. She made a handsign and shouted one word.

"Kai!"

She knew Naruto wouldn't know what to do, since he basically sucked at Genjutsu, so she had extended her chakra a little bit to reach him. It effectively woke him from the sleepiness that had started to wash over him.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a giant snake crashed through the walls, slithering towards the crowds of people. Mouth open, hissing, and angry, it was going for the civilians. Hinata's instincts kicked in and she ran for it, making handseals and muttering under her breath. She ran faster, making it to the large snakes tail only seconds before it lunged at its snack.

"Chidori!" She shouted, smashing her attack into the snake's tail.

She leapt up onto the scales of Manda, preparing another chidori as he turned to see who had bashed his tail up. A loud hiss could be heard in her ears and she plunged her hand wrist deep into his head, ignoring the urge to throw up. A roar echoed around them and she found herself falling, Manda gone save a puff of smoke.

Sasuke, having just finding his team again, jumped off the half broken railing. Hinata had just ran towards the snake going to eat civilians, who were now stuck in a sleep Genjutsu. Cursing under his breath, he whipped out a kunai and slashed through three ninjas in the air. He pushed off of one, using the momentum to catch Hinata as she fell. He only received a nod before she started rushing through handseals once again.

The raven landed and Hinata jumped down, just finishing the Jutsu. She spread her chakra through the ground and several spikes shot through the ground, spearing many ninjas. None hit a shinobi that wore a leaf headband.

--

Naruto had started fighting three sand nins once Hinata had leapt away. They had moved quickly, and he had made hundreds of clones to battle anyone not traitor to Leaf. He was so glad that he and Hinata hadn't gone all out yet, since that meant most of his chakra hadn't been used up. He roared and grabbed a random nin and smashed his head into the ground. Twirling, he spun the still body around, hitting a few more people. He made a few more clones to cover for him and ran up the wall next to him, searching for his team.

--

Kakashi guessed this would happen. He and Hinata had discussed this many times. It was still shocking, though, to have it going on. He uncovered his Sharingan and felt the power flow through him, giving him loads more courage to fight. It gave him motive. All around him, swords clashed, kunai were embedded in flesh, and people fell. Part of him felt sick at this mass murder, and he joined in, if only to save those he loved.

--

Hinata found Naruto and hugged him for a split second before spinning to kick someone in the ribs. A man dressed in all black slid a sword out of a scabbard and ran at her. A white mask adorned his face. ANBU. She rushed him, using her own sword against his. They battled it out only for a moment. Then Sasuke engaged the ninja, and together they battered him to death.

"Thanks" she murmured. He only nodded.

--

Naruto was waiting in the same place that she left him, only this time he had a few more bodies around him. He grinned a sad grin and she gestured up with her head. The three of them ran up and over the intact wall.

--

"Gaara and his siblings are getting away" she breathed, running as quickly as she could along the trees. Her friends were right next to her, scowls adorning their faces.

"Are we ordered to follow them?"

"Hai."

"By…?"

"…Me."

--

Hinata knew that she wouldn't be much help to her team if she didn't have any chakra left. She only had two chakra pills, and she didn't want to risk using those yet. She had two options.

"Sasuke. I need you to copy a Jutsu I do and use it right after."

"Why"

"Just do it" she deadpanned, sending him a glare. "I might throw something in there after. If we make it out alive."

"…Hn."

She started running through handseals, making sure that his Sharingan was activated before starting. His eyes spun, remembering them, and she whispered the name of the Jutsu just loud enough for him to hear. Then she pressed two fingers into Sasuke's shoulder, needing to funnel the Jutsu into someone.

"There" she panted, most of her chakra now gone. She didn't have that much left to begin with.

"Okay."

Now his hands flashed through the seals, going only a tad faster than she had. His hand came into contact with hers, and she took a deep breath as chakra flooded into her. She drew away only when she deemed him drained and nodded at him.

"Thank you."

"What….what was that?" he got out, regaining his breath as they ran.

Naruto glanced over at them and tilted his head before continuing to look forward, using his better senses to find the sand-sibs.

"I needed more chakra. Sorry, Uchiha, but I need the chakra more than you. I am a better fighter right now."

Sasuke's pride took a hit, and he scowled at her.

"Don't get all high and mighty, Hatake"

"You don't know how long I've been training, do you?" she questioned coldly, turning her gaze to his for a moment to glare.

"Whatever."

"Since I was five. Or six. Kakashi trained me. I know more right now. If we make it through this alive, I'll teach you chidori. The easy way. I promise."

Sasuke was silent for a moment, and then, "Fine."

--

Hinata gasped at the sight before her. At least twenty trees had been smashed or shattered. Gaara had sand covering half his body, and a large tail made of sand was shifting around behind him. One eye was replaced by a yellowish one, and sand bulged out that half of his face.

Naruto's eyes went wide, and he jumped off of the branch they stopped on to avoid the long arm composed of sand.

"**Make me feel alive!"** the Gaara beast howled, lunging for them with speed they didn't know he possessed.

Hinata had three senbon out, ready to throw. Sasuke was beside her, holding a kunai and Sharingan swirling. Naruto was clenching his fists on the tree next to them, ready for a fight. Hinata had to jump to another tree while throwing half of her hail of senbon when Gaara's sand-tail swung at her.

A blast of wind hit the female while in midair and she was shoved against a tree. She fought to catch her breath.

"Give up now" a voice said, partly quivering in fear.

A blond girl, Temari, emerged from some shadows and opened her fan to two moons. Hinata sneered and made a handseal.

"No way!!" Hinata got hit with another blast of air. She choked a bit, trying to gather some breath.

Temari got knocked out of the way, hit by an orange blur. Hinata coughed up blood before clenching her fists and jumping away to help her friends. _Thanks, Naruto!_

--

Naruto had finally accepted that this…thing couldn't be beat with normal attacks. So he drew up on all the anger, pulling on the Kyuubi's chakra. The red cloak surrounded him in a spiral before settling around his sharper features. His eyes were glowing red and his fingernails were sharper, forming claws. The blond's hair was longer too, along with canines that protruded a little further in his mouth.

"**Stay away from my precious people!"** he roared, charging on all fours towards his opponent.

--

Sasuke watched as Naruto transformed into something…feral. He paled and searched for Hinata. She was leaping back to the battle, hoping to help. A noise sounded behind him and he turned to see Kankuro and Temari advancing as a team towards him. He started laughing maniacally, an odd grin on his face.

The two ninjas going for him hesitated only a moment, but it was all he needed. He didn't bother with throwing kunai and rushed at them, reversing their roles. His friends were fighting for him; for everyone. He would fight for them, too.

"NO!"

--

Hinata knew that Sasuke would still be okay, even without the use of huge Jutsus. He had a greater speed than she did, and his anger could be honed a little better. He would be fine. She hoped.

--

Back at the main battlefield, Kakashi was still fighting with all his strength. He had seen many of the Genin fighting for their lives, but none had been his team. He wished that they had stuck with him instead of getting lost in the throng of blood.

_Be safe!_

--

"You'll never beat down Konoha's will of fire!" the Hokage bit out.

He was locked in a fierce battle with none other than Orochimaru, who had been the Kazekage in disguise. The evil missing-nin had created a barrier on the roof they were fighting it out on, and it was a one on one. He couldn't win, but he had to try. Only one thing he could think of might save everyone. At the cost of his life.

--

And then, suddenly, they fled. Sasuke, exhausted, let them go. He didn't want to know why the two siblings left their brother, but he guessed he was going to find out soon.

--

Hinata struggled against the sand. She was stuck to a tree, and memories came flooding back to her. She was terrified. Naruto was the only one fighting the Sand-demon now; Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

--

Naruto was slammed into a tree and he made hundreds of shadow clones. Three caught and tossed him up while the rest distracted Gaara. Naruto couldn't even be sure that it was Gaara anymore. Only the red-head's sandaled feet were showing. Sand covered the rest of his body. Naruto roared and charged again, ready to beat the bastard. Hinata couldn't die. Not now. Not yet.

--

Sasuke finally got closer to the larger battle. Hinata was trapped. _Shit._

--

The purple-haired girl stopped struggling. The more she wiggled, the more pain she received. If she stayed still, maybe the sand wouldn't kill her as quickly. She saw a flash out of the corner of her eye and she allowed a small smile to pass over her face. Sasuke was back.

--

Sasuke stayed close to Hinata, not knowing what he could do to help. He watched as Naruto got slammed into another tree. He didn't know why, but he opened his mouth to yell at the blond.

"Dobe!"

For some reason, he was surprised to see Naruto glance his way.

"You have to save Hinata!"

A glare was sent his way. Then a nasty smile.

**_"I already lost everything once before…I don't ever want those dear to me die before my eyes ever again!"_**

--

Naruto felt his eyes widen and his heart quicken. _You mean…_

--

"Kick his ass, Naruto-kun!"

--

Sasuke glanced over to Hinata. She was watching them with fierce determination.

"I know you can do this, dobe!"

--

Naruto felt more power and chakra flow through him and he grinned. _Thanks, Kyuubi. Thanks, Hinata-chan. Thanks…Sasuke._

--

Kakashi couldn't stand it any longer and he summoned Pakkun.

"Find Hinata."

--

The Hokage of Konoha gave a sad smile before finishing his Jutsu and grabbing onto Orochimaru's hands.

"Goodbye, Orochimaru."

_Goodbye, __Konohagakure__._

--

Hinata struggled for a moment, trying to get out. She didn't care anymore if she died. She just wanted to help her friends. She grimaced as the sand tightened around her. She almost panicked again but took a deep breath.

"Sasuke-kun! I have an idea!"

--

Sasuke turned back to Hinata for a moment.

"Hn?"

* * *

I hope I spelt everything correctly. Please tell me if I make a mistake - anywhere.

I hate my chapters being so short. They look longer in Microsoft Word....really! It was six pages...but then I uploaded it and it's only 2000 words. D:

Well, enjoy it anyways. I'll probably work on the next chapter first thing in the morning. Nothing else to do. I'm sick. Stupid pneumonia.

Keep reading and making me better with awesome reviews!!!

~Electrified by Evil


	15. It's Over

Hinata squirmed in her prison once more, trying to free her hands for the attack she was about to use.

"Copy this, if you can see it!" she hissed out, trying not to wince as the sand tightened a little more.

Sasuke nodded and concentrated on her hands. They were only slightly free, and he wondered how she was going to be able to do anything with them. And then Hinata was forming handseals, slowly but surely. He copied them and flashed through them when she was finished. He had to look away when he saw the blinding light of the Chidori up close.

"Told you I'd let you copy it" she bit out, blood dripping from her mouth.

Sasuke didn't say anything but felt the power and chakra gather in his hand. He pushed the now swirling ball into the sand to her side, cutting a line. She had hers in the other side, and together they banished the sand. It dripped across the tree limb, no more instructions to follow.

"Thank you" she sighed, rubbing her ribs and taking large breaths.

Sasuke gave her a smile. "Yeah."

Hinata turned her head towards the battle still going on between the two jinjuriki. _Naruto…_

--

Pakkun made it to Hinata and lifted a paw.

"Yo."

--

Hinata's gaze went down to the pug and she felt a little more hope. _Kakashi's okay._

"Any message?"

"Yeah. Stay safe, kid."

"Thank you, Pakkun. Do you have any ideas on how to beat that?" she gestured towards the fully transformed Shukaku.

"Uh, nope. I'm just a search and message dog. Sorry. Best of luck, though. Need anything else just summon me."

"Mkay. Thank you Pakkun."

"Sure."

Sasuke stared at the space where the pug was just sitting. "Uh…"

"Summon pack."

"…Okay…"

"Summoning Jutsu: Dog pack!" she shouted, biting her thumb and slamming it to the bark under her feet.

A small, wiry dog stood at attention, eyes wide and full of respect.

"Yes, Hinata?"

"I need you to give a message to Kakashi…."

--

The speedy pooch had his message and was running full speed to find Kakashi. He was proud to be the fastest of the pack and didn't want to disappoint now.

_Gotta find Kakashi for the kid!_

--

Hinata took another deep breath and looked around. They were safe; for now. Who knows what might happen, though. Naruto's giant toad could swing his sword this way and they'd be toast. The sand demon might go this way and kill them without even noticing.

_What to do…._

--

Kakashi accepted the message and sighed a breath of relief. Hinata was okay, but he had to make sure… But how? He made himself a promise and fought harder for Konoha…And Hinata.

--

Hinata focused on all of her anger. Anger at Kakashi from before. Anger at Orochimaru for the seal. Anger at the village for hurting Naruto. Anger at the chance of Naruto dying. Dying.

--

Sasuke could only watch as Hinata's pale skin was overtaken by fiery marks. He could sense the killer intent and hoped that she could help Naruto. Naruto looked like he was getting beat. He needed help.

--

Full of protective anger, Hinata glanced over to Sasuke. "Stay safe."

And then she shot forward, towards the fight.

--

Naruto got hit again and made a new plan. He could do this. His friends believed in him. He could do this. His friends….

"**WAKE! UP!"**

--

Hinata felt more power than ever before.

She basked in it only for a moment, because she was angry and needed to help her friend. She had to make sure that Naruto didn't die. She worked with her anger, keeping it focused on the stupid seal. She was angry at the seal, too. Angry at the man who gave it to her.

She charged another attack.

--

Sasuke watched in awe as Hinata and Naruto completely stopped the monster terrorizing them. It was…amazing.

--

Hinata blasted through the sand arm that was reaching for Naruto. She kept the path clear while he smashed Gaara's head. Said boy woke up suddenly, pain throbbing through his entire body. His chakra was so low that he felt the one-tail disintegrate below him. His body hit the ground with a quiet thump.

--

Hinata let the anger fade away. She landed on all fours and let herself slide to the ground, body and mind tired. She saw Naruto inch his way over to Gaara.

--

Sasuke shot over and landed near Naruto. He had just caught the end of Naruto's rant.

"They saved me from the hell of being alone…They acknowledged by existence…That's why they're all important to me…"

Gaara seemed to take this in. Sasuke helped Naruto stay standing while Kankuro and Temari took Gaara.

--

Temari held onto Gaara, carrying him on her shoulders like a piggyback ride. She was nervous, but not so much as before. Gaara seemed to be calm, and he was her brother, after all. She relaxed a little more as she thought of what they had gone through together when they were little. _I'm your older sister, Gaara. It's my job…_

--

Gaara was also lost in his thoughts.

"_The pain of being alone…it's not an easy one to bear…You're feelings…Why is it….that I can understand your pain?"_

He could see know.

"_But…I already have people that are important to me now…I won't let you hurt those people important to me…Even if you try to kill them…I will stop you"_

Why Naruto's eyes were like his. Why his actions were for others. Why he acted like he knew.

_Why…why do you go so far for other peoples' sake?_

Because he did know.

"_They saved me from the hell of being alone…They acknowledged by existence…That's why they're all important to me…"_

"Love…"

Temari glanced behind her to see Gaara mouthing a word. She blinked.

"Did you say something, Gaara?" She was surprised to hear the tenderness in her own words.

"…Temari, Kankuro…I'm sorry."

--

Hinata and Naruto were on either side of Sasuke. He was bringing them back, slowly, but surely. They were injured badly, but he figured they would live. They were still conscious, right?

"Is the main fight over?" Hinata suddenly asked, lifting her head a little more than before.

Sasuke couldn't shrug, since he was helping them stay up with his shoulders.

"Uhm, I'm not sure" he murmured. "I think so. I can't hear anymore yells…"

Naruto didn't say anything. He just had a goofy smile stuck on his face.

--

Kakashi tore his gaze away from the Hokage. The man had sacrificed himself to save everyone else. Orochimaru had to be a dick and get away alive anyways. He refused to shed any tears right now, though. His village needed him to be strong. His daughter needed him to be strong.

--

Hinata finally closed her eyes and let the sounds of the forest go through her. They were close to the village and close to help. Sasuke and Naruto wouldn't let her die.

They were her friends. They _are _her friends.

--

Sasuke felt Hinata go limp and he carefully transferred her to his back. He didn't have much energy either, but he at least had most of his blood. He used one hand to keep her there and the other to keep a steady grip on Naruto.

--

"Halt!"

"…"

"Wait, Sasuke? Naruto? And…Hinata?"

"Hn."

"Hey, we found them!"

"Here, we'll help you. I'll take Hinata-chan. Okay, easy now. This way."

* * *

Yo.

Again, sorry if something is spelt wrong.

Yes, some of Gaara's thoughts are actual quotes from the manga. I figured if they were already good enough, why not use them again?

Besides, Naruto is still the influential one. For Gaara, at least.

And Sasuke is coming out of his funk! But will he stay like that? I don't know. This is as far as I've written. xD:

Uhm...Sorry it's short? I wanted to get this and another message out to you guys. Ahahaha.

I'm starting another couple stories soon, so be on the lookout! I don't know when or anything, but they'll be good! (I hope)

Enjoy, share, review!

**((Bonus: Do you get annoyed when people tell/ask you to review? Why or why not?))**


	16. Yay Fillers

Hinata was looked worse than she really was. She had lost a lot of blood, yes, but her body healed quickly after she got stitched up and had blood transfusions pumped into her. Naruto kept refusing to accept treatment and instead directed it at Hinata.

--

Kakashi, once the invasion and fighting was over, went to what was left of the hospital. A whole wing of it was destroyed, but it was mostly just empty and contained more paperwork than anything else. He waited patiently for his supplies, and when he got some treatment he bandaged them himself.

And then he went off in search for his team.

--

"…You should have seen the look on his- dad??"

Hinata, Sasuke and Naruto were all waiting in a room, squished in with Shika, Choji, Tenten, Neji, and Lee.

"Hinata." Everyone could hear the relief in his voice.

The three Genin got up and squeezed out, grinning and trying not to bump too hard against anyone.

"I thought you guys were toast!" Kakashi finally said, hugging them all tightly.

Sasuke was surprised to be hugged, and that kept him from moving away or putting his arms around everyone. Hinata, used to hugs, snuggled against her entire team. Naruto, unused to hugs and shows of affection, froze before relaxing, a grin on his face and tears in his eyes.

--

Later, after Kakashi treated everyone to ramen, he decided that they wouldn't train for a few days. They were going to have to work hard and take missions instead.

"And because Naruto will be leaving us, I have requested that we get a new member of the team until he returns."

Sasuke looked surprised. "Where's the dobe going?"

A scowl was sent his way, and then a bright smile appeared on the blonds face.

"To find the next Hokage!"

--

Naruto had indeed been selected, by the toad hermit, no less, to search and bring back the Slug Sanin. Hinata was in awe for a few minutes before hugging him tightly and telling him to be safe. They were going to leave as soon as they could, so they wouldn't be Hokage-less for too long. Sasuke actually showed up when Naruto was leaving and waved slowly, the tiniest of smiles on his face.

--

The two remaining Genin wanted more training, but alas, they had to take as many missions as they could. And, without Naruto's endless supply of clones, it took twice as long to complete D-rank missions.

After three days of endless cat searching and babysitting, Hinata and Sasuke waited for their new teammate to show up. Neither they nor Kakashi had shown up yet.

They didn't have to wait long, though, as Kakashi walked to their bridge soon after the thought of him popped into their minds. Another person walked beside him, and Hinata squinted her eyes to see who it was. Then she blushed and activated her Byakugan to see further ahead. Her range was still small, but it was getting easier.

"…Shikamaru?"

"Who?"

"Team seven's former teammate..."

"Hn."

--

The two came rather quickly, as even Kakashi knew that being late was not an option. Konoha had to put up a front to make it seem like they weren't so devastated.

"…Don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"Good question, Hinata! Shikamaru will answer that on the way. To the missions office!"

--

Shika had in fact not explained on the way. He was silent until they got to the office, where Kakashi talked to the people handing out the missions. The three team members stood just outside the door.

"…So…"

Shika's voice was hard as he explained.

"I guess I chose wrong. Choji got hurt because I wasn't trained enough to fight against so many people at once. He's fine now, but I see know that I can't slack off just because one of my friends got killed. I need to be a ninja not to kill people, but to save the ones I care about most."

Hinata gave him an approving look. Sasuke, on the other hand, tilted his head and asked another question.

"Why the new outfit and weapons?"

"A ninja knows how to use more than just one thing. If I knew all of my clans shadow skills, I would be a good ninja, but if I was up against a sword user and there aren't any shadows, I'm screwed. And the new outfit allows more shadow while making it easier to move."

"I see."

Hinata nodded. She used a sword pretty decently, and she knew Taijutsu, Genjutsu, and Ninjutsu. Not the best in everything, yet, but enough so that she knew what she was doing faced against almost anyone.

"Clothes shopping…" Sasuke was muttering.

Hinata looked up in surprise. "Shopping? What for?"

It was his turn to look up. "Uh…I'm thinking of a new look…maybe it's time I stopped thinking of just one color for now and compile a better, more versatile outfit…"

Hinata smiled. "I'll help you after we finish missions. I doubt you have a great eye for color."

"Hey!"

"Well, if it's true it's true. I can't cook, for example. Kakashi only taught me to make ramen, rice, and dango. That's it."

"…Wow."

"Yeah. I know."

--

Fifteen D-rank missions later, all three were exhausted. They had finished rebuilding an entire house, babysat five rowdy children, painted three fences, found the demon-cat again, weeded four gardens, replaced part of a wall, and fixed some furniture.

They one they hated the most, still, was catching that damn cat. It never wanted to stay in the house more than three days, and since (once they found it) it never wanted to leave Hinata's arms, it took a lot of convincing (and many scratches) to give it back to its owner.

--

And then Sasuke and Hinata went shopping.

It was… interesting, to say the least.

--

Hinata and Sasuke got to the bridge before Shika and Kakashi showed up. She slid down the side, leaning on one of the rails. She rubbed her upper arm lightly.

"I still ache from that…"

"Same here…why the hell did your fangirls have to attack _me_? I was only helping you…"

"At least you didn't bleed."

"That's true. Although I'm still not sure why two of them just kind of…screamed."

"Me either. My ears are still ringing."

"Oh well. At least you have some different stuff, right?"

"I guess so. Thanks, by the way. For helping me, I mean. And not running away when… _they _attacked."

"Sure thing, Sasuke."

--

Sasuke did indeed have new clothes. He wore black ninja pants with a black shirt that hugged his frame. He wore the regular bandages around his legs to keep his pants from waving around, with one kunai pouch at his hip. He also had a senbon holder at his thigh, as Hinata was going to be teaching him how to use them. As soon as she figured it out. His headband was around his right arm, and a large sword lay across his back. He was going to be learning how to use that, too.

--

Meanwhile, with Naruto and Jiraiya…

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, JUST REASEARCH? YOU STARED AT NAKED WOMEN FOR THREE HOURS! WE COULD HAVE TRAINED!"

"SHUT UP, GAKI!"

"PERVERT"

* * *

Sorry for the suck-ish chapter. I wrote it really quickly so you guys wouldn't think I was being lazy and not updating D:

((also, stupid chapter ending is stupid. sorry.))

I'm also working on a funny story in honor of Halloween! I should post it either late tonight or early tomorrow. Look for it!

If I spelt anything wrong in the last chapter, I am deeply sorry. I didn't bother looking up how to spell some things before I posted it, so if you spot any of them, please tell me. I'd love to correct them. I just...can't find them anymore.

One more thing... I'm going to have a...mini contest, if you will. It'll be really small, just a fun little thing for all you people that take time out of your day and read this. I'll post it on the next chapter! The prize will probably get a one-shot or have a plot idea exposed to them or something. Good luck! :)

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!**


	17. Hinata? Where are you?

About a month later, Naruto, Jiraiya, and Tsunade appeared at the front gate. Shizune was slightly behind them, holding Tonton in her arms, smiling.

Hinata was still training with Kakashi and Sasuke when the blond showed up. Even though her Byakugan was activated, she didn't notice him. She detected faint chakra signals, but nothing more.

She was currently using a simple healing Jutsu on Shikamaru so that he could continue his fight with Sasuke. In the time Naruto was gone, they had all learned more. Shika and Sasuke learned how to use a sword, and Hinata's chakra capacity had gotten bigger. She had also taken to learning medical Jutsu so that she could rid herself of the curse seal. So far nothing was known about it.

--

Naruto finally revealed himself, letting his chakra really show up as he pounced on the resting ninja. His bright orange jumpsuit screamed "non-lethal", and his wide grin welcomed seeing them.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata screeched, actually surprised at his greeting. She gave him a fierce hug before letting him go.

"Hey, Hina-chan! Sasuke-teme… Shikamaru?" The blond looked quite confused.

"How troublesome…" the still lazy ninja drawled. He shot the boy a smile, however.

Kakashi looked up from the ground, where his gaze had stayed from the time they sat down to rest. He wasn't even reading his book, which was odd because he always read it when he was bored. His Sharingan was revealed, and Naruto recoiled back in surprise. He had never seen Kakashi's odd eye…

"…Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi smiled a tired smile under his mask. "Yo."

--

The next few days passed and Naruto once again joined their sparring and missions. They did do many D-ranks a day before training, and even while they were training Kakashi would leave to complete new missions. He knew that the kids could spar each other and trade tips, as they had an even number to work with. They were all set.

Tsunade was turning out to be a good Hokage, as she continued to work hard and even subdued the council once or twice. They always thought things out carefully before bringing it up with her. Of course, Naruto spent a lot of time in her office, but he told them that he was helping with filing, paperwork, and keeping her motivated.

Needless to say, he got very good at filing.

--

While Naruto was gone, the other three friends trained hard. Sasuke learned a little more on how to use his Sharingan, along with being able to copy tons of new Jutsus. He and Hinata made a deal. If he taught her some of the Jutsus that Kakashi showed him, she would let him copy any and all of the ones she preformed whenever he wanted.

Shikamaru was amazing with a sword, and Kakashi always partnered him with Hinata when they practiced Kenjutsu. Hinata was the best of all of them, even though Kakashi taught her; she was flexible and could dodge many hits that other people couldn't. Also, she had such perfect chakra control that she could force chakra through her blade, making it much stronger against an opponent.

Hinata had learned that by doing chakra control exercises, you could gain more chakra, along with better control. Not that she needed that. She had learned some medical Jutsus, and she had already started experimenting with herbs to make natural medicines. She kept extra waist pouches for medicinal things, even though she had to move faster to ensure that they didn't slow her down.

All three Genin also visited Gai and Lee for weights and some tips on Taijutsu, just so they could work on that. Hinata had doubled in speed, Sasuke hadn't improved much there yet but was much stronger arm wise, and Shika had done the best out of the three of them. He had tripled his speed, chakra capacity, and his strength. He was always serious about training, even though he always grumbled about it before and after.

Naruto had improved a little too, though. He had told them about his trip, and they were startled to see that he had mastered the Rasengan in the time that he was gone. He was currently working on a way to infuse it with his Wind element chakra, something that maker of the attack had just begun to work on before he died.

Naruto quickly took to their training schedule and got weights as well, shoving chakra into them right away to begin working on speed. He adapted to the fitness training; 500 pushups, 500 sit-ups and 500 burpees. Then they had clones tree walking and water walking with leaves hovering over various parts of their bodies.

Oh yes, Naruto caught up very quickly…

--

Kakashi was tired too, always pushing himself to do better as well. He sparred them each at least once a day without holding anything back, often having to use his Sharingan to help him. He was always exhausted after fighting one of them, and with the extra missions and rebuilding the village still, he had no time to read his book.

Once they teamed up to see how well they could work together and he couldn't move for three days! He used everything he had, even trying to set them up against each other. He lost. He congratulated them before grinning once and passing out.

He was sleeping, chakra exhaustion pulling him into a deep sleep. He did dream that they tried to see what was under his mask, though, and when he woke up the next day his ears were still ringing. He never found out why.

--

It wasn't long before Jiraiya asked Naruto to go on a trip with him. Naruto, excited at the thought of a sanin training him, accepted immediately. He didn't have much to pack, so instead he used his time to say goodbye to his friends. He tried not to think of how sad he would be away from them for over two years.

--

Sasuke was found first. He just walked with him a little bit, quiet and solemn. Sasuke eventually broke and asked what the matter was. By now they were just sitting on a roof, looking out to the sky.

"I'm….I'm leaving."

--

After Sasuke was told, he'd given him a friendly hug before rushing off to find Shikamaru. He found the lazy ninja watching clouds.

"So…Leaving so soon?"

"Nani? How did you know?!?"

--

Kakashi was next. Naruto found him at the first place he checked; the bookstore. Kakashi was furiously reading the next book in his series, this time a green cover. Naruto just smiled and told Kakashi the news. He wasn't surprised that Kakashi didn't even look up from his book. He was surprised, however, when Kakashi managed to give him a friendly hug while still keeping both hands (and one eye) on his porn.

--

Hinata was the hardest to find. Naruto searched everywhere he could think of, frustrated and disappointed that he couldn't say goodbye before leaving first thing in the morning. He decided to check one more place before he went home.

When Naruto finally got to the top of the Hokage Monument, he was in for a shock.

--

There was blood everywhere, and a little further back on the heads, where trees grew, leaves were plentiful. The green of the leaves contrasted with the dark crimson blood, and many trees were cut to pieces or uprooted. Major signs of struggle. There were even dark gouges cut into the tough stones of the monument, and Naruto struggled to process all of it.

--

The second it clicked, he made a handseal like a cross and spammed the village with clones. Since his control was much better than before, he could make so many more. Thousands of clones rushed around, trying to find people he knew so that he could go find Hinata.

Written hastily in the spilt blood, Hinata had left him a message.

_Taken by Sound ninjas. Help me, Naruto! –Hina_

--

Sasuke was finally heading home when three Naruto clones barreled into him. He let out a grunt and kicked one of them before the other two backed up a little, holding their hands out in apology. The one he kicked disappeared.

"Hinata's missing!"

--

Shika's view of the blinking stars was blocked by a swarm of orange. He was tired from training and was hoping for a small break before getting more training from his father tonight, but it seemed Naruto was going to mess that up. He growled for a moment before noticing the serious look on the blonds face. And his expression was so angry than Shikamaru wouldn't have been surprised if Naruto set something on fire just by looking at it.

"Hinata's gone."

Shikamaru had never been happier that he always wore his ninja gear than at that moment.

--

Naruto had found Neji and Choji as well, recruiting him to help get Hinata. Neji was cold at first, but when he heard that his blood-tied cousin was in trouble he came along as well. He had hesitated for a little, but then he agreed to help. The indifferent boy even found Kakashi for him, making it easier for Naruto to get Hinata's father on board. Kiba was recruited for his tracking skills.

--

Naruto, Shika, Choji, Kiba, Neji, and Sasuke rushed forward, Naruto sparing only one clone to get a message to Tsunade about what had happened. He didn't have time to wait for Kakashi, since he was still on his way back from a mission. He would leave a few clones near the entrance to the village for the silver-haired man. Right now he had to get to Hinata.

--

Shikamaru quickly took inventory of their supplies and flashed through a plan. Kiba would take the lead, he would be second, Naruto would be third, Sasuke fourth, Choji fifth, and Neji would be last.

Hinata wouldn't be lost.

--

It was difficult to go in the darkness, but they somehow managed. Kiba and Akamaru could smell everything, finding most traps because the enemy touched it. Neji kept his Byakugan up for short periods, stopping when he felt his chakra depleting too quickly. Shika kept an eye on Kiba, as he was only following him by short range sight. Choji was quick to point out that neither he nor Shika could see very well in the dark. Sasuke had the best hearing, so he used that to tell if there was anything flying at them, Naruto was different, though. His eyes seemed to glow red. It was eerie.

--

The had to pass through dangerous explosions, avoid pitfalls, and dodge kunai. No blood was drawn, luckily, because either Kiba, Neji, or Naruto would point out a trap and Shika would come up with a way to avoid it. Most were simple, but the further along they got, the more intricate the traps were.

They had to rest once or twice, if only because they had been running double speed to catch up to the Sound ninjas. Naruto always pushed to keep going, and Sasuke stayed silent. Shika knew that they needed to catch up quickly, but he also knew that they needed their energy to fight when they did catch up.

--

Hinata gulped, swallowing the pill that they handed her. The Sound team had fought her before deeming her worthy enough to be brought back to Orochimaru. She hadn't wanted to go, but she knew that if she didn't they would kill her. If she went with them, her friends could save her. Her stomach started to cramp as the effects of the pill started to take effect, and she barely noticed as the four ninjas stuffed her into a wooden crate and slapped seals onto it, pushing a flood of chakra through them. Her mind went blurry and she closed her eyes. _Naruto-kun….please find me!_

_

* * *

_**It's honestly longer in Microsoft Word.... I recommend copy and pasting it; it'll look much better in Word Hahaha  
**

**Sorry for the long wait; I've been tired this whole week D:**

**Also, you better be happy with what effort I've put into this....It took three hours to get six pages in Word, and I actually wrote the last three pages for chapter eighteen. I combined them instead of having two super short chapters...**

**I'm wicked tired, so I'll read reviews later...I have to teach ten-year old boy scouts how to shoot a bow tomorrow. I'm at the shop from 10am-8pm. D:**

**Enjoy!**

**PS sorry for being grumpy. I've gotten about ten hours of sleep the entire week. :(**


	18. Calm Before the Storm

Hinata felt the entire wooden crate flop down onto what she assumed was grass. She made sure not to move, and she kept her breath low and quiet. She could barely hear voices outside of the container, and she guessed it was due to the barrier that surrounded her.

Thinking about this barrier, she found she didn't mind. Her fight with them before had tired her out, but now this thing was healing her. Because she wasn't dead, she got twice as much energy, and it took all her focus to stay still and not do anything to arouse suspicion. She grimaced as she tried to regulate having twice as much chakra shoved through her coils. It hurt quite a bit, and she hoped they would let her out soon. She didn't know how long the process of dying and coming back to life took, but her body couldn't last much longer without fidgeting.

--

Naruto let Shika take over, but he made sure he put his opinion out there. Sasuke was unusually quiet, but the serious look on his face kept anyone from trying to make him speak.

Naruto stood up once more, making those still tired groan. He gave them a glare and they didn't make another sound as they stood up and got ready to run. Naruto gave a signal to go and they leapt up again, running through the trees to get Hinata.

--

The small Genin team stopped for the final time when Neji said he could see them. The other group was resting, with one of them sitting on the wooden pail. Neji frowned when he said he couldn't see through it.

"Alright…We need a plan."

--

The group surrounded the sound ninjas as best they could, hiding and setting up their plan. They didn't make a noise as they continued to watch and observe what the sound four did. They just rested there, not saying anything. Shikamaru fought to keep his anger in control. _They haven't seemed to notice us…Hinata, I won't let you down! _

--

Suddenly a kunai thunked against the tree near Neji and Shika. A loud hissing noise was heard, and then an explosion rocked the air. The tree it was on blew up; throwing shrapnel as well as hurtling the two Leaf ninjas forward two hundred feet or so. They skidded along the ground until they finally stopped, just three yards away from the enemy.

--

"Eh, what's this? Poked the bush and got two bugs instead of rabbits."

Shikamaru was slowly getting up, but when he saw the big guy's feet shift forward a little, he froze. Neji did the same.

"We're not here to fight! We're here to negotiate!"

Another one of the missing-nins gave a loud 'humph' and pulled his hand forward, jerking hard.

"What are these, then?"

The rest of Shikamaru's team got thrown forward, stings propelling them till they hit the ground at Neji's feet. Kiba threw the smoke bomb before he landed, blasting a large plume of smoke in the sound fours eyes. Nothing happened, however, as the same one, with the wires, bent down and tugged hard on the thinnest wires ever made. The entire team of Genin fell over once more, struggling to get up.

Kidomaru, the one wielding the strings with four arms, laughed.

"Pathetic little-"

His eyes widened and Shika raised and arm, making Kidomaru do the same.

"Shadow Mimic Success!" Naruto shouted, smiling.

Jirobo shrugged his shoulders a few times and then slammed his palms to the ground. The rocks seemed to shift and jump up, forming a dome around the Leaf team. Shikamaru covered his head with his arms, protecting him from shards of rock that flew up to cover little holes in the top.

--

Outside, Jirobo held onto the dome with two hands, his feet firmly planted on the ground.

"I'll take care of these idiots. I wanna recover, even if just a little."

"Alright. Hurry up and join us as soon as you're finished eating. We're gonna head out."

Kidomaru sighed and picked up the bucket containing Hinata.

--

Inside, Naruto stared at the wall, frustrated. His fists clenched and unclenched, his mind trying to figure out a way out of here. Shikamaru's mind was faster, but Kiba moved quicker than both of them.

Kiba smashed his hands to the ground, fingernails now sharp as claws. He growled and dashed at the wall, spinning into his attack while tightening his body for impact.

"Tsuuga!"

When the dust cleared, they all lowered their arms from their faces. Kiba was resting against the wall, a spiraled hole fixing itself as he breathed hard.

"Damn."

Neji sent chakra to his eyes to activate his Byakugan and stared at the wall and himself.

"This isn't good. Our chakra is being sucked dry."

--

Hinata took in a deep breath, letting it out so slowly that she grew dizzy while waiting to breathe again. She managed to keep herself still, but once she had been flipped upside-down. She had to let go of her prefect position for keeping still just so that it seemed she was just a body in here, flopping around. Hinata's arms and legs were all tangled up and she was getting uncomfortable. Her face was pressed up against the side of the curved prison, and she fought slowly to fix herself. Her throat was crunched up a little, making it hard to take in air. She let out a small sigh of relief when the person carrying her shifted again, making her shift positions quickly, making it sound like she was being tossed around.

A small noise was heard and she blinked quickly, letting only a little bit of chakra leak into her eyes. She didn't dare make the handsign that she was taught activated it, only molding her chakra a little more than usual. It was difficult to see outside this trap, but she could make out a faint chakra source before they started moving again. She let the chakra flow stop and settled down to wait, trying to think happy thoughts.

--

Shikamaru finally got all of them to work together. He had figured out how the rocks were weaker at the back, and he had the team cracking it open. Sasuke used a super charged Chidori, Naruto used a Rasengan, Choji stood back, Kiba and Akamaru were using twin Tsuuga, and Shikamaru was standing to the side, watching their progress. Neji was urging them on, eyes activated so that he could tell when it would break.

And then they were out. Jirobo was staring at them, amazed that someone finally broke out of his death trap. It didn't last long, however, since he knew that he had to stop them.

Shikamaru whispered to them, trying to hurry this along so that they could get Hinata faster.

"One of us has to stay here…"

Choji nodded. "I'll do it."

Naruto gave him an odd look but didn't say anything. He knew by now not to judge power by looking at someone, since he himself was a midget that had loads of chakra at his very disposal.

Shikamaru nodded at him, eyes caught between pride and sorrow. He knew that Choji thought himself to be the weakest one here. But he wasn't; he was the strongest.

--

Jirobo tried to stop all six of them, but only one got in his way.

"One on one, eh? You know you're going to die here"

Choji gulped once and hardened his resolve. He flicked open a case of three special pills, tossing the first one into his mouth.

He didn't say anything as he charged forward, chakra flaring higher than before.

And then it begun.

--

The rest of them moved on, wondering if Choji would make it. Only one person continued to believe in the large boy. His best friend was kind, but to his enemies he would fight until he won. Shikamaru believe entirely in his best friend, and he kept leaving marks and messages for his comrade for when he was done beating up the fat bastard.

--

Kakashi finally got back from his mission, worn out and tired. He wanted to go home and take a long shower to scrub all the blood off of his skin, although he knew he would see it on his skin for a long time. He shook his head and then jerked to the side a moment later, stopping short before a bird hit him in the face. It fluttered up and he noticed the scroll tied to its leg. Now that he looked, it was a large bird. He opened the scroll quickly, hoping to Kami it wasn't another mission. He wanted to rest forever.

His eyes widened and he ran as fast as he could for the village gate. _Hinata!_

_

* * *

_**Sorry it's so short! I wanted to write for all of the fight scenes (fights included) but my muse got cut short worrying about my archery tournament later today. I don't have time to write more today, but I figured that it's been long enough without an update for this story....**

**Please continue to read and review! Also, I would love you forever if you read some of my other stuff!**

**PS I still need a Beta, if anyone's interested. :D**


	19. The Storm Breaks

Naruto and Sasuke were alone now. They raced through the forest side by side, not as rivals but as friends. They didn't know what would happen to the others, but they were forever grateful that they held back to protect Hinata. Sasuke blinked away the sudden tears that sprang up in his eyes and glanced over to Naruto to see if he had seen them. Naruto hadn't, but only because Naruto had tears of his own.

--

Hinata was jostled around a little more, her body aching and her curse seal pulsing. Her hand flew up to cup her shoulder when a searing pain ripped through Orochimaru's seal, and she grimaced. She hoped this ordeal would be over soon.

--

Kakashi summoned all of his dogs and had them tracking Hinata's path as quickly as they could. They had enough blood to sample from her apparent scuffle earlier. He picked the fastest dog he could and gave him a chakra supplement so that he would last long enough. He set off at his fastest run.

--

Naruto and Sasuke crashed into a large field. Hinata's barrel was resting on the ground next to an odd looking man. He seemed to be smiling and muttering to himself. Sasuke rushed up to him, hands already forming handseals. His eyes widened when the ninja kicked the top of the barrel off. Naruto was running even faster, and they could see Hinata rise up. Her eyes were wide open, and her mouth was open in a silent scream. Her hand was on her shoulder, clawing as if she wanted to tear her skin open.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and charged even faster. Naruto almost got close, but a sword made out of…bone appeared in the ninjas hand. He shot it forward at Naruto, but Naruto grabbed it before it could hit him and swung it around. The pale sound ninja ducked and grasped Hinata's hair, pulling her further out of the barrel.

"I'm your favorite, Orochimaru!" The man shrieked and made one handed seals.

Hinata's pain seemed to go away for one moment and she opened her eyes to see her best friends in front of her. Her mouth moved quickly, and Sasuke's eyes widened in understanding before she disappeared.

"What did you do?" Naruto screamed. He had seen the message, too.

"Sent her to the Valley of the End. She's needed by my master."

"I'm gonna kill you!" Naruto screamed, red chakra blasting out from his body.

Sasuke put a hand on the blonds shoulder, wincing when the red chakra started to burn his hand. Red slitted eyes turned to meet his charcoal ones.

"I'll take care of him. Go get Hinata."

--

Kakashi knew he was getting closer when he passed Choji. He helped the boy out a little, making sure he didn't know so that he felt he did it all by himself. He moved on quickly, thinking only of Hinata. Neji was the next one that needed help, and he made an opening for the Hyuuga to go for the kill. He did a quick healing jutsu to make sure the boy would live before moving on again.

--

Naruto left Sasuke and started racing towards to other forest, not noticing how much chakra he was using.

Sasuke caught sight of a red chakra tail sprouting from Naruto's red cloak, and he barely got sight of another before Naruto vanished. The strange man attacked without moving and he knew he was in for the fight of his life.

--

Hinata found herself standing on a large rock, staring out into the distance. The pain in her shoulder had faded, but her hand still rested on the mark, as if to remind her that it was there. She smiled lightly at the waterfall, hearing only the pound of the water.

She felt a strange chakra behind her and she turned around, looking into the face of Kabuto. She scowled at him, noticing right away the sound headband tied around his forehead.

"Traitor."

"My my, feisty, are we?"

"Get out of my way. I'm going home."

"That's right, you are going home! To Orochimaru, of course."

"Fuck off."

Kabuto's smile disappeared and he sighed.

"Fine, I'll do this the hard way."

Kabuto ran at her, his hand suddenly glowing green. She narrowed her eyes and she jumped above him right before he could hit her. She kicked off from his head and landed hard, running even though her body hurt. She got hit from behind but managed to get a sword up in front of her face.

"I said, fuck off!"

"I said, no."

Kabuto withdrew a kunai and they had a little swordfight. The clangs of their metal weapons could faintly be heard above the waterfall. Hinata gave it her all, because she knew that it was either win and go home or lose and be used by the snake-sanin.

--

Kakashi caught up with Sasuke after swallowing another soldier pill. He had witnessed Shikamaru getting help from Temari and Kiba getting help from Kankuro. He arrived just in time to see Gaara and Rock Lee helping Sasuke. Sasuke ran into the forest soon after swallowing something and Kakashi followed close behind.

--

Hinata's sword finally broke under the pressure and she threw the hilt and jagged end of it towards Kabuto. While he blocked it, she ran behind, hands in a Taijutsu pose. She threw a punch high and then faked another high when he blocked it. She hit low and he doubled over, clutching his lower stomach. She put chakra in her next few punches and kicks, and he seemed to be on the ground, defeated.

She was turning around to go home when a hand clutched at her leg.

"Feisty. Orochimaru loves that."

Kabuto dragged her to the ground and pinned her down. He sat on her lower stomach and used a kunai to skewer her right hand. He took another one from a pouch and did the same to her left. She screamed loudly, but he just covered her mouth with his hand.

"I told you I would bring you to Orochimaru the hard way. This is the hard way. Now, come with me peacefully or I'll have to force you."

He waited for a reply and he let his hand slip from her mouth. She glared at him for a moment, and then spit in his face.

"Never."

--

Kakashi caught up with Sasuke and nodded to him when Sasuke told him what happened in its entirety. His speed doubled when he heard a blood-curdling scream. His ears were ringing when it was abruptly cut off, and he shoved his headband up, ready to fight whoever was hurting his baby.

--

Kabuto swore and used one hand to wipe his face.

"Fine. I'll have to put another seal on you…." Hinata squirmed underneath him and he grunted.

"Yeah right. I'm not uncovering your mouth now."

Hinata dragged her tongue over his hand, and he drew back, disgusted. "Bitch."

Hinata bit his hand next when he put more pressure against her mouth. She couldn't scream, but she could bite.

Kabuto finally got sick of it and wrapped her mouth with medical tape. She had tears going down her face, but Kabuto didn't care in the least.

"Now. One final time…"

She arched her back and tossed him off a little. She curled her knee so that when he landed, it was right between his legs. She narrowed her eyes and tried to crawl away while he was clutching his crotch, using a healing hand to fix himself.

His eyes were hard when he got up and dragged her by the hair up to his face level.

"You want to play dirty? Fine. I will too."

His hand shot out and she closed her eyes, thinking she was going to get punched. Instead, his hand wrapped around her breast and she whipped her eyes open.

"I hate you." She muttered. "And some day, I'm going to kill you for that." he voice was muffled by the tape.

Kabuto smirked and gripped her harder, twisting and pinching. Her eyes closed and she wished she wasn't powerless right now. She groaned when his other hand grabbed her other breast just as painfully.

"Don't…touch me" she tried to say. It hurt. It hurt more because she couldn't do anything to stop it. She felt tears leak out of her eyes. She was only thirteen!

Hinata thrashed around, trying to get free. Kabuto let go with one hand and gripped her hair again.

"Bitch. Orochimaru wants your body, and to get it, we're going to have to put another seal on you. If you cooperate, you might not have to get it. Your free will could be sealed up, though. Got it?"

Hinata nodded.

"Good. Now, we're going to leave now. I was going to rape you, but it seems that you have friends chasing after you. Now…"

Kabuto started muttering to himself as he began to squeeze her breasts again. She grunted and used a foot to kick him in the shin again. Since she knew she wasn't going to get away, she used her bloodied hands to write her team a message. She knew they weren't going to make it.

Kabuto grunted as he picked her up, his glasses flashing with light. She sneered at him and tried to kick him again, but he just wrapped her legs together with chakra cuffs. Her hands were tied as well, and then he teleported to a location close by, using chakra to aid him on his run towards their current base. His grin grew when it started to rain only five minutes later.

--

Naruto reached the valley right before it started raining. His chakra dissipated when he didn't see anything to kill, and he fell to his knees. He noticed all the blood again and he crawled forward, looking for a message. His hands got scraped up by all the sharp rocks, but he didn't seem to notice.

Sasuke arrived only a minute or two later. He found Naruto sitting next to a pool of blood. He ran over, landing on his hands and knees when he saw the message Hinata managed to leave. His hands got cut up as well, shards of metal embedding into his skin. His eyes raked over the message again and again, until it was imprinted in his mind.

Kakashi ran over, eyes scared at the sight of her blood. He let a few tears fall, but he wiped them away to read her message.

_Train hard, team seven ((heart here))  
_

--

Kakashi had to carry Naruto and Sasuke home. Hinata's trail would be gone before they started, since the rain would wash it away.

Kakashi mused over her last words to them, and he wondered if he would ever see her again. His heart hardened and he took her words to heart, mind already going over a training schedule for himself. He knew that she meant the entire team, not just the Genin. He would train hard so that he could rescue her. If she left that kind of message, then she must have been taken against her will.

--

It was still pouring when they got back. Kakashi accepted medical treatment, waiting in his bed while his team got helped. Tsunade wanted to talk with him, but he had to wait for her to finish with the Genin.

Choji and Neji had been carted to extreme condition surgery rooms, and Kiba needed lots of attention and healing as well. Sasuke had to have his hands fixed up, and Naruto needed lots of bed rest. He had refused any other medical treatment.

Shikamaru was probably the only one that needed minimal treatment. He was tired, but he didn't have any life-threatening injuries. He was waiting for his best friend outside the room, and Temari was watching over him. Kankuro and Gaara were elsewhere.

--

When news of Neji and Choji came back to their room, the rest of team seven cheered. It didn't last long, however, because the thought of Hinata not being there only moments after. Shikamaru was also taking it hard, but he was gone soon after checking up on his sensei. Later he would ask his father and Asuma for extra training. Asuma was a close family friend, and he helped him by relentlessly playing strategy games with the smart boy.

--

Tsunade finally made it to Kakashi's room. Sasuke was sitting in a chair close by Kakashi's bed, and Naruto was in the other bed, staring out the window.

"Kakashi, I need to know what happened."

Kakashi glared but told her everything, mentally reliving everything that had happened to him since he got back. Tsunade's heart went out to him, but she had to know what had gone on.

Finally it was done and the room fell silent, the only noise Kakashi's breathing.

"Alright. Thank you."

"Wait!" Sasuke stopped her by jumping out of his chair.

"What?" She responded, irritated by his outburst.

"When will you give us a mission to retrieve her?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Now Naruto was looking at her with sad eyes, and she felt uncomfortable under all of their stares.

"Because, Orochimaru is a dangerous man. You'd have to be ANBU rank, at least before I could let you go after her. You'd need a small team as well, not just a two person rescue team."

Sasuke's eyes fell to the ground and he nodded, his dark bangs hiding his eyes.

"Okay."

Naruto turned to face the window again, a permanent frown on his face.

--

Ten days later, all four of team seven was back to normal. Shikamaru had shown up to their team meeting and told them that he was training with his dad. Sasuke relayed the message of becoming ANBU to him, and the once lazy ninja nodded and told them he would do it if they would.

Naruto had shown up late and missed Shika, but he had news for them as well. He would be going on a three year trip around the world with Jairaya. Kakashi was shocked to hear this, but he congratulated the boy and told him to work hard. Naruto nodded and left. He had to pack what little he had to leave soon after.

Sasuke and Kakashi stood there awkwardly, facing each other with grief written on their features. It was Sasuke who had spoken first.

"Uhm, I have a new teacher, too…."

"You do?" Kakashi asked in surprise.

Sasuke nodded. "But I'll meet up with you everyday to test myself and learn more…" Sasuke had realized that Kakashi still had lots to teach him.

"Alright. We'll settle a time another time."

Sasuke nodded. "Mkay."

"…If I may ask, who did you get to teach you?" Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets, just about ready for their conversation to end.

"…Tsunade."

--

_Tsunade looked up from her paperwork only to see Sasuke. She withheld a small scowl, trying not to show her feelings for him. She had heard him to be a spoiled, ungrateful brat. His face looked scared, though, and she gave a weary smile despite herself._

"_What do you want?" She meant it as a simple question, but by the look on his face she must have snapped at him. _

_  
While he recomposed himself, she took a swig of sake right from the bottle. It was the only way to get through all the paperwork. It was a curse, and if she knew there was this much paperwork before she wouldn't have accepted the position._

"_Make me your apprentice."_

_Tsunade was a little surprised. Her eyes narrowed and after a short pause asked,_

"_Why do you want to be a medic? I thought you had to avenge your family."_

_Sasuke's face seemed to fall apart and reconstruct itself in an instant._

"…_I know. I still do. But…" he took a deep breath. "They're dead and Itachi can shove it. I need to be stronger first. And…after that's done I want to be able to save the ones I'm close to; I don't ever want my precious people to die in front of me again."_

"_It'll be difficult."_

"_I'll get through it."_

"_Good."_

--

Kakashi wished he could have done more to save his daughter. Not just because the Hyuuga were at his throat for giving up their precious bloodline, but because she was the only friend he had left. Sure, Naruto, Sasuke and Shika were his students, but he was closest to Hinata. For awhile after she had found his stash of Icha Icha, he had thought he felt more about her, but after she had gotten hurt in the exams and called out for her dad, he knew that that was all he wanted to be; nothing more, nothing less.

--

TIMESKIP WHOOOOO

* * *

**Sorry it took so long. Sorry it's so rushed. Sorry it's short. Sorry.**

**Sorry sorry.**

**I didn't have spellcheck for some reason; did I spell Ero-senin's name right? Eheh, I don't know...**

**See you next time... (sorry)**

**ps sorry**


	20. My How Things Have Changed

Kakashi was getting fed up with Hiashi.

"My daughter would never submit to giving away the secrets her eyes hold. No killing her, no sealing her."

"Technically, she's my daughter."

"You lost daughter rights long ago."

Kakashi left in a huff, slamming his tea cup down to the table. If he stayed another moment, he would have witnessed the emotionless bastard's first look of surprise in sixteen years.

--

Kakashi was just exiting the Hyuuga compound for what seemed like the millionth time when Shikamaru jumped down from a roof to land in front of him.

"Aren't you supposed to be on gate guard duty?" Kakashi snapped, still angry from before.

"Hinata's back."

Kakashi didn't even hear the next part, as he was running as fast as he could across rooftops, going so fast he was only a silver blur.

--

When Kakashi got to the gate two things happened. Hinata fell into his arms and fainted, and a blur of red latched onto him.

He felt his heart break as he felt blood seeping into his vest.

"GET TSUNADE!" he yelled, picking her up in his arms for the first time in years.

The girl hanging onto him looked to be a little older than Hinata, and her hair was reddish. She was bloody too, but she looked better than Hinata. She stuck close to him the entire time they ran to the Hokage Tower.

--

Hinata's eyes opened two days later. There were only three people standing around her, and they slowly came into focus. Kakashi, Tsunade, and Karin.

"Hinata? Hinata baby?"

She groaned and dragged a hand to her head. It hurt so much. It felt like a badger was fighting to get out.

"Hinata?" Tsunade's voice sounded urgently concerned, and Hinata groaned again.

Karin tried to step forward, but Kakashi held her back with a hand. Karin scowled and looked to Hinata for guidance. Hinata shakily lifted a hand and pointed at her, and Kakashi let her get closer. Karin laid a hand on Hinata's forehead and her hand glowed green for a moment before dropping back to her side.

"Wasn't going to hurt her" she murmured, backing up a little.

Hinata tried to speak, but her throat was dry and cracked.

Karin seemed to get this right away and she rushed to get some water. Tsunade kept an eye on her but let her do as she wanted. Karin gently tipped some water into her mouth and Hinata felt strength returning to her body. Karin's healing also seemed to be doing the trick.

"Dad"

Kakashi's heart swelled. Her first word since she was back. It had been three years since he had heard her sweet voice.

"Yes, Hina-chan?"

"I'm sorry"

"Oh, baby, it's alright. I promise."

Her solemn face broke out into a smile and she sank further into the pillows. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

--

Hinata woke up again three hours later, and by then her team was back. The only one missing was Naruto, but only because he hadn't returned from his trip yet.

"Okay, Hinata honey" Kakashi spoke quietly to her. "Can you tell us what happened, please?"

Hinata nodded and pulled herself up from the bed, sitting against the pile of pillows behind her instead of laying on them. She noticed that Sasuke had blood splatters on his clothes, but it didn't smell like his. Shikamaru, she noted, had an ANBU tattoo hidden on his right shoulder. Kakashi seemed more confident of himself, and Tsunade and Shizune were watching her carefully. Shizune held a pen and some paper.

"I can. I need Karin, though."

"That's her real name?" Tsunade asked, surprised.

Hinata nodded. "Yeah."

Tsunade nodded at the door and Shikamaru swept it open, grabbing the girl by the arm and dragging her in. Karin glared at him but didn't say anything. She blushed at Sasuke's glance, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Hinata, are you okay?"

"Are you alright, Karin? They treating you alright?" Hinata sent a pointed look at Tsunade.

Karin shrugged and sat down on the edge of Hinata's bed, facing the group.

"Alright." Hinata began, clearing her throat. She figured they wanted to know what happened, but she didn't think it would be so soon.

"Kabuto and I fought at the Valley of the End" her voice was a little shaky, and Karin rested a hand on top of hers in reassurance.

"He fought dirty and forced me to go with him. When we got to Orochimaru's lair, they knocked me out for a day or so and put another seal on me. I don't know what it was called, but basically I had to listen to whatever they wanted and follow their instructions. They trusted me after a year and a half, and they didn't take the seal off but they didn't use it anymore."

The room was silent for a moment other than the furious scratching of a pen.

"Basically that's all that happened, until about half a year ago. Orochimaru and Kabuto both trained me, so I know a lot of medical and attack jutsus."

Again it was quiet, until Tsunade asked a question.

"You said until a half-year ago. What happened then?"

Hinata closed her eyes and opened them slowly, eyes angry and sad at the same time. Karin withdrew her hand, but Hinata grabbed it again and placed it on her own. She gave a shaky smile and nodded.

"About half a year ago, Orochimaru decided to teach me some…other things. I protested against it, but he used the seal on me again. I couldn't fight it, although I tried. Kabuto helped too. It was…probably the worst thing I went through there."

Kakashi's eyes were narrowed and his fists were clenched, like he was imagining Orochimaru's neck between his hands. He looked like he wanted to throttle something. Tsunade took a swig of sake when she thought Shizune wasn't looking, but a senbon needle flew out of nowhere and broke the bottle.

Karin rubbed Hinata's hand with a small smile, trying to make her feel better. During their time with Orochimaru, they had grown close.

"What did he do with you?" Shizune finally asked when no one wanted to speak those words.

Hinata glanced at each person in the room before answering slowly.

"He taught me how to have sex. Hands on learning."

Karin took a few deep breaths to calm herself, and many others in the room did the same thing.

"He gave me the excuse that I should know these things for when I get married…He said I needed to know how to pleasure a man for when…for when…for when I get back to Konoha."

She paused a moment and took a deep breath herself. She continued after another short pause.

"I knew he was lying, but I couldn't do anything about it. I knew that he just…he just wanted someone to fuck. Kabuto, too."

Sasuke noted that her language had changed; she didn't watch her words anymore.

"I guess I just kind of muddled through, because really, what else could I do? I wasn't strong enough to do anything to him, and the seal prevented me from leaving a place until we changed locations. And at that point he kept me right next to him while everything switched places. I had to wait it out."

Shizune was trying to get everything down, even though it broke her heart to hear it.

"I am not proud to say I am not a virgin anymore. I haven't been since they started 'teaching' me about it. They taught me how to cry out and how to move my body and how to clench myself around men. They taught me how to be a perfect whore."

Kakashi finally butted in. "Karin, what was your role in all of this?"

"Karin was my personal medic" Hinata answered before the red-haired girl could even open her mouth.

"This one is for Karin, alright Hina-chan?" Kakashi spoke softly to Hinata, but coldly to Karin. "Karin, why didn't you do more to save her? Why didn't you stop the rape?"

Karin, who had been looking down at her feet, looked up with entire calmness and spoke clearly to the room.

"I kept her alive."

"And you couldn't do anymore than that?"

"No. If I did, they would kill both of us. Wouldn't want that, would you little fu-"

Hinata slapped a hand over Karin's mouth before she could finish her sentence. She gave a weak smile.

"Karin, no swearing at my dad. Dad, treat Karin with respect. Without her, I really would be dead."

Both people blushed and looked away from each other.

"Anyways. On with the story…Four days before I came back, Karin and I hatched a plan. Karin was supposed to prepare my body for the change, but instead she started healing my entirely. She got rid of as many seals that they put on me as she could without killing herself from chakra overuse."

"The day that Orochimaru came to get my body, he thought I would be drugged up, full of seals, and helpless. He didn't expect me to be ready for him. I was strong enough to fight him alone. I killed him."

Hinata paused in her rushed explanation to give Shizune time to write it down and for everyone to take in what she said.

Sasuke was looking at her in a mixture of awe and pity. It hurt.

"How did you do it? Do you have a head?" Tsunade leaned forward eagerly.

Hinata gave another small smile.

"No head. Sorry. But I have many sound ninja witnesses, including Karin. I made him explode into pieces, and without Kabuto's help, he died. I burned the pieces left over. I burned down the building. He's gone. Trust me."

Tsunade nodded. "M'kay."

"After Karin got all of the information she needed, we used the still fine labs to get rid of my curse seal. After we got rid of it, we destroyed the entire building. There isn't anything left in the ones we left behind before, so we didn't bother with those ones."

"After Hinata was finished her fight with Orochimaru and her seal was gone, we were both out of chakra and needed help. But before we could get away, Kabuto showed up. Little fucker."

Hinata grinned at Karin's attempt to help her. She took a sip of water before speaking again.

"Karin's right. It seemed hopeless at first, but when he learned that his precious master was gone, he went crazy. So crazy that it was easy to behead him. We tossed his body into the flames as the building went down."

"Do you have the head with you? We couldn't find anything on your person…"

"I have it with me. It's in a scroll…"

Kakashi slipped a scroll out of Hinata's pockets, replacing her clothes on the chair on the other side of her bed. She pulled her blanket closer around her, as if the simple hospital gown wasn't enough to keep her warm.

"It's in there. Just funnel a little chakra into both seals at the same time. It'll have his head in it. I don't want the bounty. Give it to someone who needs it. The hospital, I guess."

Kakashi nodded and handed the scroll to Tsunade. She smiled and clenched the paper in his fist, not yet opening the faded paper. She would do it when Hinata wasn't in the same room. This man probably caused her too much damage to her brain to even be called a man,

"With them gone, Karin and I had to get help even sooner. We had all the research that was good and nothing more. Karin made one last seal with her chakra; this one on my arm. I just need to put a little bit of chakra into it to get everything. We'll have to do it later, when we have more space."

Tsunade nodded and Shizune made a note of that.

"Anything else?"

Hinata nodded.

"After Karin fainted, I carried her to the nearest ninja village. We got a little bit of sleep and some medical help from the sand, but then some sound survivors showed up and forced us to run for it. We got halfway back here before we had to turn and fight. Karin stayed back while I fought, but she jumped in here and there to heal me. Kind of. She heals in a… different way."

"Mhmm! You have to bite me!"

The room was quiet for a moment, and then a few smiles flitted around the room. Her attempt at humor worked for a moment.

"Because I bit her a few times, I got healed enough to kill all of them. There were ten of them. But Karin ran out of chakra before I could heal myself completely, and I got a sword to the stomach before finishing my run home. Karin and I supported each other, and that's when we got back to the village gates. I remember seeing Shikamaru-kun and Neji, and I stood there until Kakashi got there. Once he got to me, I passed out from blood loss, right?"

They nodded.

"And you guys are all caught up, right?"

Again she got a round of nods.

"Good. I need to sleep some more then. Karin, my forehead, please?"

Hinata actually fell asleep as Karin placed a hand onto Hinata's head liked asked. A green glow surrounded her hand before she gave a smile and clasped her hands together in her lap.

Tsunade was curious.

"Two things. I thought you healed people when they bit you?"

"Oh yes, I do. But for this I needed to heal her like that."

"Second thing. What was that for?"

"Oh, that's kind of complicated. Here's the easy version for you non-medic ninjas." She winked. "When I got rid of Hinata's curse seal, the side affect for a week is a killer headache. Other than that, it's just plain gone. But I need to heal a specific area until her week of headaches is over."

--

Hinata was just waking up the next day when Sasuke knocked on the door. She yawned and called out that he could come in and she sat up against her mound of pillows.

"What's up, Sasuke-kun?" She yawned again, trying to stay awake. She hadn't eaten breakfast yet, and she was still healing from internal injuries that couldn't instantly heal by medic.

"You have an early morning visitor. I came to ask if you'd like to allow them in."

Hinata shrugged. "Whatever. If they can make it fast, I don't mind."

Sasuke just gave a small smile and nodded. "Sure thing, boss."

Hinata rolled her eyes but sent him her own smile. Her team sure was happy she was back. Although, she couldn't say she was sad to be back. She was quite happy to be back.

Before she knew it, a familiar person was standing in front of her bed. A tiny smile lit up his face, and three whisker marks crinkled up slightly. His bright blond hair had grown out a little more, and she guessed if she stood up he would be about a foot taller. Maybe half a foot.

"…Hinata-chan…?"

The blushing girl hadn't even realized that she had spaced out. Naruto was next to her now, holding her hand and checking her temperature with the other.

"Are you alright?"

Her eyes settled on his ocean blue orbs and she got lost again. He had grown to be a fine young man, and she was happy to know that her simple crush had blossomed into something more.

"Naruto-kun…" her voice was softer than ever before.

Naruto blinked and his face flushed a little. He dropped her hand like it was a hot kunai and she wished she knew what she did wrong.

"I missed you" he started slowly.

"I'm so sorry" she cast her gaze to her hands, which were twitching on the sheets.

"No, you don't have to be sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't get to you in time…"

Hinata shrugged. "Guess it's both of our faults."

Naruto blinked and grinned. "Yeah, I guess so."

Hinata tilted her head at him. "Anything wrong?"

He looked surprised, and then a little guilty.

"Well, not wrong exactly…I was just wondering…"

Hinata cast her eyes back down to her hands. Oh.

"Yes. I meant what I said. I still do." She whispered, hoping that he wouldn't leave her. She hoped that they could at least be friends.

He mouthed her words back to her, his eyes wide. "You- you really love me?"

--

Hinata had been so embarrassed that she just nodded and blushed, trying to fade into the background of the wall. She watched shyly as his face went through a cycle of confusion. It was probably his cutest set of faces. Other than his smile, of course.

And then she asked for him to sit down in a chair next to her bed. He did so immediately, eyes still wide with confusion. She took a deep breath and went through about thirty handseals, going slowly so not to get them wrong. She molded her chakra carefully but didn't shout the name of her jutsu. It didn't really have a name yet.

Naruto's eyes somehow got wider as small pink petals formed a three dimensional heart that floated in the air in front of his face. In the very center, Naruto's name was written in flawless cursive, large and loopy. Hinata focused a tiny bit more chakra into it and it started to fall. Instinctively, Naruto caught it. Smiling, Hinata motioned for him to test it out.

Naruto held it gently, using his thumb to caress the soft petals.

"It'll last until the petals die out…But I can always make another one for you, if you want…"

Naruto glanced up from the little trinket.

"I…I would like that."

--

Two o'clock in the afternoon would find the two on the Hokage Monument. Hinata didn't care that it was the spot of her kidnapping, and Naruto always liked to sit up here to contemplate life and pranks.

Naruto was holding Hinata's hand in his. Her hands were rough, yet at the same time still a little soft. Hinata had asked Naruto to even try going on one date with her, and so far it was going well. Naruto had carried her up here, so that they wouldn't lie to Tsunade when she scolded them for 'moving Hinata around'. Now they were watching the busy village, just content to be together. Hinata was really hoping that Naruto would like her back, even though she would be happy with just good friends.

Naruto turned to her slowly, and she turned as well. He gave a tentative smile and leaned in to kiss her. He had never kissed anyone before. He had made sure to stay away from girls when he traveled with ero-senin, even when the pervert went to a whore house.

Hinata had never actually kissed anyone either. She had made it clear the first time Orochimaru forced her to have sex that her lips were off limit. Even through the seal she stood by that rule. And as long as the snake-pervert could have her, he didn't care if he couldn't kiss her lips.

Their lips met softly, as though they were ghosts. They didn't move for a moment, and then Hinata pushed her face forward that little bit. Naruto closed his eyes and Hinata did the same only a moment after. Naruto's hand reached around the back of her head and pulled her closer to him. He had gotten stronger then he thought, however, and ended up pulling both of them down to the ground behind them.

Naruto's back hit the soft dirt with only a small oof and blinked at Hinata, who was sprawled out on top of him. Her chest was pushed hard against his, and because he had been around his traveling sensei so much he knew what was going to happen. His eyes widened when her knee accidentally brushed against his groin, and he couldn't help but let out a little whine.

Hinata's eyes widened as well, but she figured that he was a little too…stressed? She felt her nipples harden when they brushed harder against Naruto, and she bit her lip. Her knee brushed against his clothed lower body, but she felt a rising lump there. She wondered if Orochimaru actually knew what he was talking about…

Hinata leaned down to kiss him again. His lips were still soft, and she moaned lightly into his mouth, using her skills that she had learned while trapped. She used her right hand to reach down and start rubbing Naruto through the fabric of his pants.

The blond let out a small moan before he realized what was happening. _Oh Kami. _He reached down to pull Hinata's hand away, but she had moved it already and it was already snaking down into his pants.

"H-Hinata-chan!" he breathed, feeling her fingers ghost over his erection. His hand hovered near her wrist, struggling with teen hormones and the right thing to do.

"Yes, Naru-kun?" Hinata's breath was hot next to his ear, and his voice trembled as he spoke next.

"P-please stop…"

Immediately the girl pulled away, a blush on her face. A tear went down her face.

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto-kun! I just thought that…that you needed help with that!"

After another deep bow she left, not even a blur to her speed. He watched her go, hating that he had to stop her yet knowing that she was still too fragile. He went to find Sasuke, who would probably know what had happened to her when she was gone.

--

"WHAT?!?"

Sasuke used a finger to clean out his now damaged ear.

"Yeah…"

Naruto's face looked angry and bits of sadness leaked through the cracks in his anger.

"Why did you come back early from your…date with Hinata? Did you make her mad?" Sasuke's voice was low when he asked his second question, like he would beat anyone up that dared mess with her.

Naruto's eyes were wide but he shrugged helplessly. "I…Long story short, she thought she had to…do things…with me to make me like her! I stopped her but then she ran away!"

Sasuke's eyes grew even harder. "Naruto, she was raped. Multiple times. By multiple people. She was 'taught' how to pleasure a man. Ever since she's been back I've seen her flinch away from every single man, even her father. But you're the one exception. And she even told me that what she said three years ago was true. You're the only exception because she loves you. She'll do anything to make you happy. Even do the one thing she's scared to death of."

Naruto looked lost.

"Naruto. She's a strong, beautiful girl your age. Don't lose her. Kami knows I already have."

"What do I do?"

"Go talk to her, dobe. Explain what really happened! And if you think you love her back, tell her you can try a relationship, going step by step. Starting with kissing only."

"…Uhm, I meant my other problem…"

"Kami, Naruto, I know I'm a medic ninja, but everyone knows how to fix that! Get one or two of your pervert sensei's books and go home and take care of it!"

"Yes, doctor-Sasuke."

--

Later, when Hinata was found back in her hospital bed, Sasuke came to visit. He was on his break from helping Tsunade with medical rounds.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun."

"Hello, Hinata. How're you feeling? Any better?"

"I-I guess."

"I heard what happened with Naruto…" Sasuke's voice was gentle.

Hinata's face erupted in red and she fidgeted under the sheets. She poked two of her fingers together nervously.

"It's alright, Hinata. You're mind is just fragile right now…" Sasuke reached out to take her hand, forgetting about the no contact thing.

Hinata's eyes widened and she flinched away automatically, heart rate going up every second. Memories flooded into her mind and she fought to keep from having a panic attack. Sasuke looked like he had just swallowed poison.

"Sorry" he muttered, fiddling with his hands on his lap. "Forgot..."

Hinata's breathing slowed again and she shivered once before shaking her head.

"It's okay." She said softly.

Sasuke took a deep breath. He wasn't used to being so…gentle, but Hinata was the one that helped him out of his darkness. Now it was time for her to get a helping hand.

"Hinata, I need to run a test…"

--

Sasuke's test was actually pretty simple. He just had to have her run chakra through each one of her seals, one at a time. He would watch the effect and hopefully either get rid of some or make some better. He didn't tell her yet, but he had an idea for the rape thing. He could put a super strong seal for a memory-suppressant. She wouldn't have to fear being touched.

Hinata consented quite easily. She didn't mind running chakra through the various seals on her body. The first one was the sloppiest one on her arm, and she actually had to stand up and aim her arm down to the floor at an angle. Sasuke had been about to ask why when tons of scrolls, computers, disks, and books came tumbling out of the sealing tattoo.

The fragile girl gave a soft smile, feeling a new sense of weightlessness. It was actually pretty heavy, carrying so much stuff in a not perfect seal.

"That's all of Orochimaru's research that can be used for the better. Also, you might want to call Anko in…"

Sasuke nodded and shook his head to look at Hinata more clearly. She was a strong girl, not just physically, but mentally. Or at least, most of the time. He grinned and nodded.

"Got it." He made a shadow clone to go get said jonin.

"Next one?"

"Kay."

Hinata did this for some time, focusing her chakra on one seal at a time. Some enhanced her strength, some speed. Some were really just there for normal tattoos. It went pretty normally, until Hinata unsealed something metal.

"What is it?" Sasuke wondered, eyes wide.

Hinata's eyes were wide too. She had forgotten that she kept her sword in a tattoo on her hand. The shape was of a hissing snake head, the body and tail half hidden behind the different perspective.

"The…the sword I stole from him to beat him…"

Sasuke swiftly picked it up and slid it into the bed. He wrapped it quickly in the top blanket and made another clone. He handed the sword to him and motioned for the copy to leave, even though his thoughts already told it to go.

"Thank you" Hinata's voice sounded quietly.

Sasuke nodded stiffly and motioned for her to continue. Hinata had two seals left, and she shoved chakra wearily into one of them. This one was over her heart, and Sasuke was ready with glowing green hands just in case it did something bad to the girl.

It didn't.

"…Uh…"

Hinata didn't blush this time, but held the little doll in her arms lovingly.

"It's Naruto-kun…A doll I made to look like him…So I didn't lose hope."

Sasuke peered at it, seeing the mismatched stichings that she had done. She must have done it in the dark, or been bleeding or tired. He wondered if there were anymore.

Hinata's voice sounded wistful as she continued speaking quietly. "I had one of Kakashi-kun and Shika-kun, too…They must have burnt in the fire…"

Sasuke tilted his head, mildly curious.

"What about…"

"You?" Hinata's smile looked up at him from her spot on the edge of her bed.

Sasuke looked sheepish but nodded all the same. He wanted to know, hadn't he?

"Orochimaru took it. I tried to get it back, but the idiot just… he just laughed at me and swallowed it. That's how he kept his things from me; I never tried to get them back after he did that. I sometimes saw him looking at it, but he'd always…punish me somehow."

Sasuke's gut clenched in sympathy and he shrugged.

"It's alright. It'd probably look better than the original, anyways."

Hinata tilted her head at him curiously. "What makes you say-"

"Next seal" he interrupted. His break only lasted ten more minutes, and he had to eat. Plus he really wanted to change the topic.

Hinata gazed at him a moment more before nodding. "Aye-aye."

The girl placed the cute blond doll on the bed resting against the pillows before standing and activating the final seal. Her eyes opened wide as she felt heat searing through her and she collapsed. Sasuke rushed over, hands full of green chakra, but once his hand touched her skin she looked up at him.

Hinata's tongue flicked out and she licked her lips, her eyes glazed over. Her body shook and her face flushed. Sasuke jerked back, his skin burning, but she just lunged forward. Even though he was strong, she pinned him down to the floor, straddling him. His eyes were wide as saucers just as her lips latched onto his. His eyes closed slowly, his body relaxing into the kiss.

He felt a hand near his pants and his eyes shot open. He struggled against her, but she seemed like she was being controlled as she pulled them halfway down. He tried shouting her name, but she went on.

"HELP!" Sasuke knew something wasn't right here; Hinata shouldn't be touching him.

The door opened rather quickly and Sasuke saw a flash of silver before someone was standing over them, pulling Hinata off of him. He hurriedly pulled his pants up. When he sat up slowly, he saw Kakashi struggling to keep Hinata from touching him. She was trying to pull off his clothes, and he didn't want to hurt his daughter, so he was losing.

Kakashi's face was flushed and he was trying to keep her from doing anything rash. Sasuke leapt in again and together the both of them kept her down. Somehow.

"Get Karin."

Sasuke managed to summon another clone and sent it running for her room. Luckily, it was close by. The medic-nin came running close behind the Sasuke-clone, a light blush on her face as she stared at Sasuke's face.

"Down here, please." Sasuke said in a strained voice.

"Oh! Sorry!"

Kakashi and Sasuke had her pinned to the ground, careful to keep her hands away from their lower bodies. Sasuke was glad they were hunched over, since he was a little turned on. He was scared for her, though; she was acting strangely.

Suddenly Karin started laughing.

"Oh, that's what happened! You were testing seals, were you? Ahahaha!"

Sasuke sent a glare her way and she sobered up instantly, but a light chuckle escaped her lips.

"Sorry. Orochimaru must have followed through with his threat to put that one on her. I guess I didn't remove it….That's odd."

"How. Do. We. Stop. It." He bit out each word, teeth clenched with the effort of not moving to kill her.

"Easy." She leaned over to Hinata's ear and said clearly, "My little butterfly-chan, you have the sweetest body." Her voice sounded exactly like the dead snake sanins.

In another second the lust had faded out of Hinata's eyes and her struggles died away. She gazed up into the three faces peering at her with different expressions.

"…Uh…"

--

Hinata had been mortified that Orochimaru would do that, but partly relieved that she didn't submit to him without loads of force. She had formally requested for Karin to remove it, and her best friend had told her that she needed the help of another medic. Hinata's calm façade died and her eyes leaked tears. Sasuke blinked and raised his hand.

"I'm a medic."

* * *

**YAY! Finally finished. This was the longest chapter to write, only because I had to get everything perfect. It's not still, but I'm happy with it. ...Kind of. At least it's sixteen word pages?**

**Poor Hinata... I hated writing for her 'lust' scenes.... But I think that's what the pervert would do if he had a girl instead of Sasuke. Hell, he might have raped Sasuke anyways. xD:**

**Hrm. Rating is probably going to go up. Sorry if any of my readers are offended by any of this.**

**PS sorry it's going by so quickly. Yes, I know that many things are changed, but I just wanted to get through with this chapter so I can get on to the Akatsuki and such. Those chapters will be so much fun! I actually have to get caught up with where they are and what happens with the villains, because I skipped to the later chapters of Shippuden. Eheh....Silly me. Well, enjoy, comment, critisize, anything you want. Flames are usually hurtful but I'll give you a snappy comeback through my tears.**

**PPS I don't actually cry when I get flamed. It's the internet, people.**

**PPPS I forgot to mention, this isn't the last chapter. Heck no. I meant 'finally finished' as in finished with THIS chapter. Haha. Just making sure so I don't get any freakouts.**

**PSx4 Still need a Beta and I'm changing the summary so I have room for warnings ahaha. And I'm adding pairings (or A pairing) to it. Yay?  
**


	21. Battle of the Sexes! Sort of

The seal removal actually wasn't that bad. Sasuke and Karin managed to get it off without much trouble. Of course, Karin was the only one that could touch Hinata. The pale girl was still flinchy around other people. Karin flirted with him the entire time, giving both him and Hinata a deep blush. He somehow managed to hide his, but only because some of what Karin was talking about was true; somehow the red-head had managed to find out about reviving his clan.

Sasuke pretty much figured out that Hinata wasn't blushing because of the words coming out of Karin's mouth; rather it was because she had been the one to tell Karin. He didn't mind, though, as it gave him an excuse to talk to Hinata afterwards. Without the bipolar female.

"Hinata, you okay?" he asked, more as a friend then a medic right now.

Hinata just nodded slowly. She was mostly alright; she was just tired and confused.

"I need some advice" She said after he continued to watch her.

"What about?" he asked softly.

"Wo-would it be better to get _that _part of my memory erased?" Hinata's pleading gaze made him forget all of what she had tried to do to him and, earlier, Naruto.

"Well, it depends. I know you're strong, and really, if Naruto loves you, then you can show it other ways. You don't need to know many of the things that you learned. And if you do need them, you can relearn them with Naruto. Someday. Not today. Plus, it might help so you don't feel uncomfortable."

Hinata was actually a little surprised that Sasuke had spoken so much. Before, he would have shrugged and walked away. What a difference three years made.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun" came her soft reply. "Thank you."

Sasuke didn't move when he noticed her right hand shaking and moving slowly towards him. He knew that he had to make sure his friend was alright. Because, he had to admit, he had liked Hinata; _a lot. _But, she loved Naruto with all her heart and he knew it. So he would be happy with the two (if they managed to figure it out) and just be her best friend. It was probably the closest he could get to her, and he could deal with that. If Hinata was happy, he was happy.

His eyes didn't waver from hers as she placed her hand on top of his. It was just a light touch, but he knew it was progress for her. Back less than a week and already able to get this close to someone other than Naruto or Karin.

Sasuke didn't want to push it, so he gently slid his hand away and stood up, smiling as gently as he could at her.

"I promise, Hinata, I won't ever do anything you want me to. And I'll kill anyone who dares defy your wishes."

The smile she gave him was watery but worth it.

--

Sasuke met up with Naruto in the hall. Naruto looked startled to see Sasuke come out of Hinata's room. Sasuke glared and Naruto had the decency to at least blush a little bit. Sasuke relented and looked away.

"Just… go slowly, okay? Be nice."

Naruto noticed the hidden threat but made sure that Sasuke didn't know that he picked it up so quickly. He nodded and took a deep breath before opening the door and walking inside.

--

Today was the day Hinata was getting lots of visitors. First it had been that incident, then Sasuke and Naruto, then Neji, then Kiba and Akamaru, then Lee. He had been the shortest visit, since he didn't understand that he wasn't supposed to hug her. Luckily, he was used to getting hit by Neji's Gentle Fist. He would wake up in a few hours.

Kakashi was her tenth visitor. She couldn't remember who else had visited between, but she figured that they wouldn't mind. She had a tough week (never mind the last three years!) and she was still getting better. Her head hurt a little bit, though, and she rested her eyes for a moment. She didn't open them when there was a gentle knock on the door, but she called them in.

"Yo."

"Dad?!" She opened her eyes and a smile grew on her face. She hadn't seen him since the previous night. At least, she didn't think she had.

"Hey, kiddo. How you feeling?"

"Tired" she answered truthfully, knowing that he would always be able to pick out her lies, no matter how good she got.

"You should take a nap….I'll go tell Sasuke to not let anyone else in here until later, okay?"

"N-no, wait"

"Mm?"

"I just want some company….I'm a little lonely, too, I guess. I missed you a lot…"

Kakashi gave a smile under his mask.

"I missed you too, Hinata-chan." He avoided using words that would remind her of Orochimaru.

Kakashi moved to the chair beside her bed, trying to keep his hands hidden in his pockets. He wanted to hug the life out of her (not literally), but he knew she would flip and he didn't want that. He just wanted to see her.

"Kakashi, I miss before. You know, when we were Genin."

"You still are a Genin" he chuckled, amused.

"True. But you know what I mean…"

Kakashi nodded, gazing off into space.

"Sasuke's a Jonin" he admitted randomly.

Hinata didn't look surprised.

"And Shikamaru's an ANBU" she whispered.

Kakashi's gaze snapped onto her face, but she didn't show any fear of that knowledge. He broke into a smile and nodded.

"Act surprised when he tells you, okay? I know he knows he's breaking rules by telling, but he's proud. He did it for you."

Hinata actually was surprised at this new fact.

"He did?"

"None of us could follow you till we got back to ANBU rank."

Hinata's eyes closed and she shrugged. "Oh."

"I got back up to ANBU rank, but once you came back I quit. Being your sensei, and more importantly dad, is more important to me."

"Oh" she repeated, opening her eyes. "Thanks, dad."

--

The two talked a little bit more, avoiding the worst topics. They mostly talked about what happened during the time she was gone, including what he did to train. He went light on that topic, not wanting to admit that he went to Gai more often than not. It was too embarrassing to be seen with his rival, asking for _help._

Eventually they got to the topic of a certain blond…

"He asked me on a date" Hinata said, eyes going out of focus.

Kakashi's visible eye noticed this and narrowed. He wanted to talk to the blond about that…

"Where are you two going to go?"

"So you can spy on us?"

"N-no" Kakashi didn't know that she would figure out his hidden meaning so quickly. He expected her to realize in a few minutes, when he had thought of an excuse to get her off his track.

"It's a respectable place, and there will be plenty of other people around. I'll be treated fine, and no one can hurt me there. Besides, I can always find you with my eyes. I still have the Byakugan, you know. My range is better."

Kakashi accepted her change of topic with relief.

"What's your range now?"

"About five kilometers."

He almost fell out of his chair from astonishment.

"W-what?"

"You're stuttering more than I used to, Kashi."

"I- You- that's-"

"I know. _He _told me that it was one of the best things that had happened during training. I just wish I remember how that happened. He also told me that my eye range is one of the farthest ranges in history." She sounded so proud.

"I'm proud of you, Hinata. You really have improved." Kakashi realized with a jolt that he had missed some of the best years of her life. Well, they were _supposed _to be the best years of her life. He vowed to make it up to her by keeping her safe now.

--

Later, when Kakashi was _finally _allowed to take Hinata home, he talked to her about a test. Tsunade had told him to test his team when Hinata had recovered, since they were all back. She wanted to know if they would be able to take the next exam. Shikamaru wouldn't be tested; instead Sasuke would take his place. Sasuke had become part of their team without anyone really noticing. They all worked together great once and Kakashi hoped it still held true.

--

"Lady Tsunade. Hyuuga Hiashi here to see you." Shizune tactfully left off the 'again'.

"Fine. Send him in. When he's gone, I want a bottle of sake."

"Yes, Lady Tsunade." Shizune sighed and opened the door, waving the man in.

"What do you want, Hiashi?" She rubbed her temple with a hand, continuing to sign papers with her other.

He waited patiently until she stopped and looked up at him, just now focusing her full attention on him.

"Hokage-sama, I-"

"Cut the crap, Hiashi. I know that you don't like calling me that. Just tell me what you want; I'm very busy."

The man could tell that she was in a bad mood, so he ignored her rudeness and went on to tell her his thoughts.

"Right. Tsunade, I heard that Hinata was released from the hospital today." Tsunade could already figure out what he wanted.

"Yes?"

"I formally ask permission to ask her if she got tested on or if she told any secrets-"

"No. I already checked with her- no one touched her eyes. She confirmed that when she let Inoichi check her memories. No experiments, no anything. Her…medic also let her mind be explored. Nothing."

Hiashi looked insulted. "Well, then I formally request to put the seal on her, since she's not main house-"

"No again."

"May I ask why not?"

"You may ask." Tsunade shot back, trying to mock his formal speech.

"And?"

She decided she had had enough of his babble.

"Look. No seals. If you want to make sure your precious eye secrets are safe with her, fight her yourself."

His eyes betrayed a flash of a strong emotion and she felt like she had done something unwise. She started to explain herself so he didn't get the wrong idea.

"No killing her."

"If she loses, I cannot be at fault if she dies."

"Don't kill her."

"I cannot be at fault- it might be an accidental death. She is weak."

"Whatever. Just write up the paperwork before the fight. You'll need my signature. Will you be the one to tell them?"

--

Hinata was glad to be back at home. Her body was healed, although her mind was still a little fragile. Hinata was going to try her best to go with her current memories, but she was still debating to the idea of the memory suppressant. Sasuke had told her it didn't hurt, and she wouldn't even remember that something was being sealed down. Her memories wouldn't resurface, even if something like that happened again. But, even with more benefits than not, she couldn't get it yet. She wanted to try and get better on her own. Like she always had before.

--

The poor soul that got stuck with telling Kakashi that his daughter had to fight against Hiashi or get the curse seal was Neji. Hiashi had done it to make sure that Neji knew his place, but Neji hadn't cared in the least. He just hoped that Kakashi wouldn't kill him for being the messenger. After all, he hadn't a thing to do with the actual fight.

--

"WHAT?!"

"I'm just relaying a message; please do refrain from harming me. I'll be forced to fight back, and I'm a sore loser." The threat wasn't lost on the silver haired man.

"Sorry. Thanks, I guess. Any chance of them rescheduling? I was going to have a mock fight against my team…"

"No, sorry. I do feel bad for her."

Kakashi nodded and turned his head to the stairs, where Hinata was sleepily walking downstairs. She was yawning and rubbing at her eyes, showing that she just woke up. Her pajamas hung off her body, baggy but not about to fall off of her frame. Her flannel pants had little kittens all over them. Neji refrained from smiling.

"Sorry, did Neji wake you up?" Kakashi asked sweetly.

Said ninja scowled. "You were the one who threw the table."

"You were the one who didn't catch it."

"P-please, stop fighting" Hinata said timidly, not used to seeing two men fight over her. She was surprised to see her cousin here, although she knew they would be coming for her soon.

"I was just leaving" Neji replied hastily, just wanting to go and finish his other chores for the day. Missions could be a bitch if he was late…

"N-no, what was you're message?"

After a quick glance at her father, Neji started explaining.

"You are to fight your birth father; if you lose, you need to get a seal…"

Her eyes had flown to Kakashi when Neji mentioned father, but she remembered that she had a different birth father. She contemplated fighting him and figured she would be fine if she ended it quickly. If she didn't, and he touched her, then she would be reduced to a quivering mass of a person. And that meant yet _another _seal. She hated seals. Unless they were helpful, and only if she herself put them on. They worked better, that way.

"Tell him I am not afraid. When is this match?"

Neji and Kakashi looked surprised, but Neji managed "Four hours from now" and bolted.

--

"I had Naruto's date at lunch…" Hinata sighed, resting her head in her hands. Kakashi and Hinata had just finished eating breakfast, and Hinata had moped about not being able to go on the date with him until after.

"I'm pretty sure he'll understand, Hinata-chan. Just tell him why it'll be that much later. Maybe he'd like to see what you can do, too."

"I guess."

"Cheer up, kiddo. He'll understand. I promise."

--

"You better not make my daughters life any worse than it is now. Make her happy. Otherwise I'll burn you alive. Got it?"

"Y-yes, sensei"

--

"Nah, its fine, Hinata-chan" Naruto shrugged. "I don't mind. As long as we can still eat lunch together afterwards."

"That's great! Oh, uhm… K-Kakashi wanted me to ask if you wanted to come watch…"

"Sure! That way I can be your own personal cheerleader!"

Hinata's grin grew larger and she giggled, making Naruto's heart feel light and giddy. Someone had actually laughed at one of his jokes….

--

Finally the match had to begin. There were actually a lot of people there. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke, to start. Sasuke claimed he was there to heal her when it was done, but she knew he wanted to see how much stronger she had gotten. Naruto was gazing at her with a bright smile, giving her the courage she needed. She faced her opponent again and noticed a great number of main and branch Hyuuga, standing or sitting in a wide circle.

The Hyuuga that were sitting were on the steps of the porch or on the rails, eyes intent on the circle etched into the ground. A branch house member had scratched it out earlier.

"Alright; rules" Neji said, standing between them as a proctor. "No strikes to the heart, if possible. Fight until you either cannot get back up or you are pushed out of the circle."

The circle in the dirt was about ten yards across in all directions. The line was nice and thick, so that they could tell if someone went out.

"If even your toe is pushed out of the circle, then you are done. Do both parties know what the wager is?"

"Hai."

"Sure." Hinata drawled, trying to gauge Hiashi's reaction.

His eyes narrowed and he got into a basic stance, one arm hidden behind him with his body facing sideways to Hinata. His other hand was flat, fingers close to each other. His feet kept him steady at shoulder width apart. Hinata just stood as she was on her side of the circle, looking bored.

"Right. Begin."

Byakugan was activated on only one side. Hinata just watched calmly as the other man started to run the short distance to her. Hinata was watching him carefully, however, and when his hand came at her to close one of her chakra points in her arms, she ducked. Her speed surprised a few, as she popped up behind him. Her eyes were still not activated, although his were. He used a Heavenly Spin to counter, his speed astounding compared to many Hyuuga.

On the side lines, Kakashi was watching with his Sharingan. To copy some moves, if possible, and to be able to keep up with the fight. Sasuke's were activated too, and his eyes flicked back and forth, watching the two Hyuuga battle. Naruto was mostly lost, and Sasuke was murmuring what was happening as quickly as he could. They were all enthralled. Neji was watching with his own Byakugan activated, to make sure that neither used any damaging moves.

The moment Hiashi started spinning, Hinata jumped into the air. She actually aimed herself downward, and with a small pop a shadow clone came into existence. She used it to push herself into a spin, moving so quickly that the clone disappeared the instant she got into her own spin. Her globe of chakra around her crashed head onto Hiashi's, and he was forced to stop due to his chakra being overpowered.

Hinata landed on her toes and hands, and she used on hand to fling out three kunai. Hiashi wasn't facing her, so they were in his blind spot. His body spun again, this time ducking and flinging his own kunai at her. She flattened herself against the ground with a soft thump and then rolled to the side as he tried to land on her with a chakra enhanced jump. She grabbed the mans ankle and tugged to the side, managing to throw his weight to the far edge of the circle.

She had to let go to let him fly towards the circle's edge, hoping that he would use that momentum and she would win. He didn't take to losing easily, something he and Neji shared, and used chakra to stop himself. Once he stopped, he let the chakra connecting him to the ground go. He rushed again, trying not to let her think.

Hinata sighed and flipped off the ground, brushing her pants off. She twitched her hand and, too late, Hiashi saw the wires. She tugged now with her whole hand, and they encompassed his body, pulling tight. Before he could cut them off with chakra, she had tossed him out of the ring. For a moment there wasn't any noise, but then Naruto started clapping.

Hinata blushed and looked down at her feet. A short moment later, Kakashi and Sasuke joined in. Many Hyuuga clapped as well, but many of the branch house did not. They would get punished later if they did. Hinata stepped out of the ring and held out a hand to help her 'father' up. He glared at her and shoved chakra into the thin wires, breaking them off his body. He stood up on his own.

"Hinata-sama is the winner!" Neji announced, a small smile on his face.

Said female blushed harder and walked towards Naruto with her head held high, proud that she had escaped the dreaded seal. She had heard of it before, and Karin had explained the best she could. After, Kakashi had told her what was wrong with their system. She was glad that she didn't have to get it, but she felt back that all those poor people were restricted to it.

--

The date was next on her list, but Hinata felt much less confident about it. She had talked to Sasuke and Kakashi about it, and both said that Naruto actually liked her. She didn't believe them, and protested that she needed advice. Neither gave it. She had visited Karin with a shadow clone while the two walked to the restaurant, but Karin had just rolled her eyes and bopped the clone on the head.

Now they were in a nice place, not too fancy but not too grungy. The color was light and fun and the tables were in a wide open space. The atmosphere was cheery, and the staff was all smiles and ready to please. The conversations were dulled by all the plants spread around the room, so she didn't have to worry about saying anything to Naruto that others would hear.

"So….Hinata-chan…" Naruto started, trying to enter a normal conversation.

Hinata looked up from folding her napkin on her lap. They had just ordered their drinks and food, and this would be the main time for conversation. She looked just as nervous as he did.

"Y-yes, Na-Naruto-kun?" Her stutter was back. Great.

"Uhm…" he couldn't think of anything to say. Wonderful.

"I'm sorry" they blurted at the same time.

Hinata's eyes widened, mirroring his deep blue ones perfectly.

"What do you mean, I'm sorry? You go first" they tried again, once more saying the same thing at the same time.

It was silent for a moment, and then they burst into laughter. Hinata somehow managed to snort as they were laughing loudly, which just made the two laugh harder. Finally she wiped tears from her eyes, trying to halt her lungs from bursting from her chest.

"Y-you c-can go first" Hinata was pleased to realize that her stutter this time was because she was still trying to regain her breath.

"I- uh, ladies first?" Naruto tried awkwardly.

"O-Okay." Hinata took a sip of her water, which the waiter had somehow snuck onto their table without them noticing.

"I- I'm sorry for the other day." Hinata began.

She immediately noticed a blush forming behind his whisker marks. Her face started to heat up as well, but she ignored it to continue. This was her Naruto.

"I thought that I would need to do those things to make you happy. Orochimaru taught me that touching would please you, and I wanted you to like me. I really, really love you, Naruto." She would have continued, but if she said anymore she would have started a rant.

He was quiet another moment, eyes angled where she couldn't see them. And then they looked up, bright blue glinting with determination and something else she couldn't recognize.

"Hina-chan, I do like you. A lot, actually. But… I like you for you, not those things that the snake-bastard taught you. You mean something to me. You're one of my precious people."

"N-Naruto-kun…"

"You cared for me. You still do. I- I'm not used to it. That's- that's all. I've never been a favorite with the village."

"I know" she murmured quietly. "But I've always been here for you."

"Not always" he said ruefully, making a face.

She blushed and looked down. That's right; they had only met when they were ten.

"Hinata" he said, making her look up into his eyes.

"When I look at you, I feel like you were there."

--

They had talked a little more, but the generality of their conversation was non-existant. They ate their food and just accepted the companionship. It was good to at least see him, spend time with him. Hinata had been away for so long that it had felt…odd to be eating with him. But it was also…nice.

After the late lunch, the two took a walk. They didn't have a destination in mind, but just wandered around. At one point Sasuke had joined them for a little while, but he left them alone after they just stared at each other fondly. They didn't notice when he left.

--

They ended up spending the rest of the day with each other. They didn't see a single Hyuuga the entire time.

Hinata was blushing, gazing at him looking down at her. He had grown a little taller than she was, and she had to tilt her head back to gaze into his eyes. She didn't mind, though. His smile was soft, and his hands were on her shoulders. He tugged forward slightly and she tumbled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her carefully, giving her a careful hug. She was surprised but reacted positively. Her arms curled around his torso, bodies' smushed together comfortably.

And then their impromptu hug ended and Hinata's lips were pressed against his. Naruto left his lips there only a moment, because he didn't want to scare her off or make her uncomfortable. It was odd for him, too, since she was the first one he had kissed. She smiled and touched her lips, just barely hearing the quiet 'goodbye, Hina-chan' before he left. She stood there for a few more minutes before stumbling into her house, grinning like a madwoman.

Her aura was so happy; Kakashi didn't even have to ask how it went.

* * *

**Darn it! This chapter is shorter than the previous one. Oh well.**

**Sorry that I didn't include Akatsuki yet; they'll be here, don't you worry. I wanted to put in some of the new changes, and see some of the relationships. **

**Hinata loves Naruto with all her heart, and Naruto seems to feel the same way. He just isn't used to it. xD**

**And for those who had mentioned Hiashi and what happened to the Hyuuga not pursuing her more... Here's some of their piece in this. Sorry it's so poorly written.**

**Sorry for all the awkward style changes and writing. I can't seem to write nice, happy scenes. I'm better at gruesome or sex scenes, I guess. Sorry.**

**PS 5 kilometers is about 3 miles. I rounded up from 4.8 something. If you need to, you can look it up ^^;  
**


	22. Akatsuki and Shika's Revenge

Karma was a bitch.

Just when Hinata thought everything was going fine, something horrible happened. It didn't even matter that she didn't know the man. The problem was that it happened so close to Konaha turf.

--

"…Shikamaru?" Hinata answered the door the next morning with a yawn.

"…Hinata…Can I come in for a minute?" Shikamaru looked down towards the ground, eyes half closed from an unknown reason.

Hinata blinked but nodded, pulling the door open enough for him to walk in. He sat down on the couch and curled up into a smaller ball than she thought he would be able to do. She closed the door and sat down next to him, tilting her head in confusion.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly, wanting to reach out to him but unwilling to flip out on him.

"I-I can't do it" he raised his gaze to hers, tears forming. "I…I came to you because you never…judge anyone…"

Hinata blinked in surprise. "O-Okay…"

"Asuma died."

With that, Shika burst into tears. At the sight of her friend pouring out his soul to her, she slowly wrapped her arms around him, focusing her mind on his pain. He seemed a little embarrassed that he had to cry it out, but Hinata just rocked him back and forth, giving him small smiles whenever he looked up at her. Eventually she needed to get him a tissue.

"O-One second, please" she murmured, giving him a soft pillow to hug while she fetched a box of tissues.

Hinata took a few deep breaths once she was out of the room. Even if he was her friend and he just needed comfort, it was still terrifying to be touched. Her skin prickled and she fought to keep a rising panic attack down. She remembered what Kakashi had told her earlier. _He made ANBU for you…no one could go after you until they were that rank._ Her friend needed her, and she would be there for him.

--

It took some time, but eventually Shika finished sobbing. He kept apologizing, but she would have none of it. She assured him that he was not in the wrong, and she would be here anytime he needed.

"It hurts more to hold it in" she murmured to him before he left. "And if you don't cry for a lost comrade, you wouldn't be human."

--

Many ninja and citizens alike showed up to Asuma's funeral.

Shikamaru didn't cry there, because he had worked out a lot of tears at Hinata's. He paid his respects with a few flowers and a cigarette. He took up smoking, and even though it was horrible, it reminded him of a more comforting time. He had known Asuma as a family friend, and it hurt to have someone else you know die.

Hinata showed up to make sure Shikamaru was alright, but she didn't cry. It was all she could do to stay dry-eyed, though, when the rain started. She gave up and let tears flow down her face at a fallen ninja. From what she heard, the dead man was a kind teacher who only wanted the best for everyone else. She could have sworn that she smelt smoke, but when she glanced to Shika there wasn't a trace of a cig.

--

Shikamaru made plans for revenge, telling no one what he was doing. He focused on his old friend's last words, working out a plan so good it was foolproof. Asuma would get his proper farewell after Shika beat the bastards who killed him.

--

The lazy ninja made it to the gate when he was stopped.

"Where do you think you're going?" Tsunade was gazing at him coolly.

"Out for a stroll."

"Bullshit. Shika, I know you're hurting. I know you're…of high enough rank. But I don't want to lose such a valuable ninja."

"I don't plan on dying."

"You need a team."

"I don't need anyone."

"I'll go with him."

Tsunade blinked and turned to see Hinata standing shyly behind the current Hokage. She looked relaxed but seemed to have everything on her for battle.

"You can't do it all on your own" she pointed out. "Four members or no go. Even then, you'll need backup."

"Kakashi will help" drawled a familiar voice.

Hinata smiled at her father's support.

"One more, then pick backup. You're not leaving before then."

"Why not?"

"You're a ninja. Get used to death."

Tsunade walked away after sending a meaningful glare at Kakashi. Hinata sighed and made two clones to search for whoever they could get.

"I'll do it…" she murmured.

Shikamaru waited impatiently, muttering seemingly to himself. He kept waving his arms about for a moment before remembering that other people were around. The real Hinata gazed at him oddly and he fell silent.

"You called?"

Kiba and Akamaru leaped forward, grinning. "We're not the best, but we can help!"

A cloaked figure nodded, face and body entirely covered other than a few spots of his face. The voice was deep, signaling that it was a male, and a few small bugs swarmed around him. Hinata grinned back shyly at the two.

"Hey Kiba, Akamaru, Shino. Let's go."

Hinata had actually found the two right near each other, so her second shadow clone went elsewhere. She hoped it would find Naruto in time, since a guy named Yamato was off somewhere with the blond.

--

Hidan sighed and stood up, joints popping from disuse.

"Can we go now? I can't wait to throttle those Konaha bastards."

"…Fine. Let's go a different way, though…"

--

Hinata stopped short and dodged to the side before Kiba could smack into her. Shikamaru was already kneeling, ready to tell them of his plan. He hadn't counted on so much help, but he smiled at them all before getting serious.

"Here's the plan…make sure you know it well. We can't afford any mistakes."

All around the little circle, heads nodded as they took in his plans.

--

"There." Hinata saw them move in closer and she pointed forwards with two fingers; their signal.

Shikamaru and Kakashi jumped out.

"Finally. I can kill you motherfuckers!" Hidan's eyes looked crazed.

Kakashi didn't say anything but let them do all the talking for now. He had his Sharingan eye open and ready, though, just in case they attacked him first. The immortal dashed forwards, ignoring his partners warning, and found himself trapped in Shikamaru's shadow.

"Shit."

--

Hinata was hiding behind a tree, Byakugan activated. She watched as Hidan copied Shikamaru, running back towards Kakazu with his scythe ready to swing. Hidan was swearing profusely, warning his partner, but the tall man didn't move. Hinata caught sight of Shika's other shadow curled around his legs.

Suddenly Kakazu broke free, ducking and tossing Hidan away from him. Hidan swore once more before gazing around without moving his head. Above him, Kiba and Akamaru were going into a spin. He couldn't move as the two barreled into him head on, burying him a few feet underground. His head stuck out, and he thrashed around, actually pulling himself out with his teeth.

Meanwhile, Kakashi was pulling his arm out from Kakazu's chest, the remains of a Chidori sparkling around his fist. Kakazu's green eyes were wide with shock, and Hinata saw the blood spurt from his back as Kakashi yanked himself free, letting the slightly taller man fall to the ground.

Hinata continued to watch Hidan drag himself out of the hole, glaring at everyone. He cackled and suddenly darted forward, dodging the shadow chasing him. He jumped, twisted, and rolled out of range, avoiding the shadow with graceful ease. Hinata narrowed her eyes and darted forward; her cue was signaled by one of Shino's bugs landing on her open palm.

Hidan was in front of her now, a surprised look on his face. She kicked out at him, but he took it in stride and grabbed her leg. While he ignored the pain of the kick, she began to freak out at the close contact. She winced and lashed out with her fingers, hitting his arm with blinding speed. He withdrew when his arm flopped to the side, but he swung his weapon at her with renewed vigor. It stopped in inch from her face when Shikamaru's shadow caught him again.

"Thanks!" She called lightly to the ANBU member.

Shikamaru didn't say a word as he started running towards a thicker part of a forest, dragging a complaining immortal with him. Hinata turned back to the other battle in time to see Kakashi getting caught by Kakazu's threads. She cried out and rushed forwards, collecting chakra in her hand to split the restrictions. She made it before Kakashi could get his heart torn out, and she dragged her father back with one hand.

"You okay?" she panted, gazing at his attire.

His mask was shredded down the side, exposing part of his face. His green jacket was gone, and his gloved disintegrated. His Sharingan was spinning rapidly, still working to predict movements ahead of time.

"Yeah. Thanks, Hina-chan."

Before he could finish, though, more threads attacked them. Hinata pushed him to the side just as he dragged her down. They both tumbled to the dirt below them, landing how they were taught at the academy. Shino was in front of them, his bugs swarming around the missing-nin.

--

Shikamaru gazed coldly at the man in front of him, shadow keeping the other man still. He had set up most of this before hand, but now he was just finishing up with explosive notes. He had wires surrounding the area as well, and all he had to do was pull on three of them and everything would tighten around the son-of-a-bitch.

"This is the perfect opportunity for me too, you moron!" Hidan raced forward, Shika's shadow curling back towards him.

The leaf-nin fell backwards, using his hand to conceal the blood holder in his hand. He squirted some onto the pike that Hidan was swinging at him before getting some on himself. Hidan launched himself backwards and licked the metal, a smirk forming on his face.

"Gotcha."

--

Hinata healed as many of Kakashi's injuries before she had to help Shino. Shino and his bugs were doing fairly well up against an S-ranked criminal, but he was slowly losing ground. Even Kiba and his dog couldn't last forever. She leapt up, eyes activated and palms ready. She kept herself in a loose Taijutsu form as she rushed ahead, aiming for a heart.

Kakazu knocked her away, only using his threads, but she pressed onwards, flipping over and around him. She was only a little faster than him, only because she was smaller and lighter. Around them, his other heart-masks forced the others backwards. She pushed her hands forward, fingers curled into a fist with the exception of her two main fingers. She didn't yell the name of the move she preformed, but she murmured it to herself. She poked her fingers hard into the ninja's ass, giggling when he went flying forward. Obviously he had been expecting something else.

She noticed Kakashi trying to hold back a laugh, but she didn't stop to acknowledge the use of his attack. She jumped above Kakazu, hand forming a dagger to stop one of his hearts.

Kakazu would have dodged, but at the moment another one of his hearts had died.

--

Shikamaru grinned as he looked up from his spot on the ground. Hidan had just turned away from him, laughing and extracting the pike from his chest. He whipped around in shock when Shikamaru started talking.

"You bastard" Hidan muttered over and over, not paying attention to his enemies rant about how he did it.

And then his body blew up.

--

Hinata hit another one of his hearts, stopping it with a pulse of chakra. His body gave a little spasm and she landed on her feet, straddling his body. She panted hard, trying to get enough energy to take out his last heart. Or was it two? She didn't know right now, since she had used a _huge _amount of her chakra to kill his heart. She had to make sure, right?

And then she was face down in the dirt, body shaking. She tried to get up, but movement to her right distracted her. A noise came from her left and she felt a few threads wrap around her ankles. A few more wrapped her arms, and she was flipped over. Kakazu's eyes were blazing, which struck her as odd because his eyes were green.

"I'm gonna start with your heart, and then the others. Die, bitch."

She closed her eyes tightly, letting her Byakugan turn off. She relaxed her body, prepping to take the pain like a shinobi, but the blow never came. She opened her eyes slowly, trying not to get her hopes up too much. He might just want to see the fear in her eyes as she died…

What she saw amazed her. Lightning and wind were spinning inside the mans chest, ripping him apart. His blood spattered everywhere and she closed her eyes to protect them. She heard the fierce howl of wind and the chirping of millions of birds. It sounded like a better version of the Chidori, really.

She held still, keeping her body relaxed just in case something hit her. She didn't want her body to get too damaged, and it probably would if she tensed her muscles up too much. She held onto that shred of hope that came in the form of her boyfriend. His yellow hair gave him away.

She felt the rocks under her disintegrating along with the man Naruto had just attacked, but she made no move to get out of the way. Then she was falling, and she opened her eyes a crack. Kakazu was falling faster than she was, his body torn apart by the attack. She saw a flash of yellow and red and strong arms wrap around her. She opened her eyes wider when she smelt Naruto's familiar scent.

"Naruto-kun…"

--

Shikamaru looked down into the pit where Hidan rested. The missing-nin was blown into many pieces, but he was still shouting. He cursed at the ninja above him, ranting about Jashin-sama.

"I'm your god now" Shikamaru drawled in a detached voice.

The lazy ninja held a single kunai with an explosive tag on it. He twirled it around his finger, gazing down at the pit like it contained something gross. To him, it did.

But just as Shika tossed the kunai into the side, Hidan whispered something before closing his eyes and letting the explosion cover him with rocks.

The ANBU captain let his eyes widen with confusion and he mouthed back the words that the enemy had somehow managed to say before he was buried. The-the man was a nut-case.

"What the hell did he mean, thank you?" Shikamaru wondered to himself.

He tried to forget about it. He shoved his hands into his pockets, giving the deer watching him a thankful nod before shuffling away.

_Thank you…?_

--

Hinata was set down next to Kakashi. Naruto was gazing down at her, concern etched onto his features. The red in his eyes was gone, and the female Genin gazed back with affection.

"Thank you" Kakashi murmured to the blond.

Naruto just nodded, giving a small smile.

"Guess I got here in time, eh Hina-chan?"

Hinata nodded, only taking her gaze off Naruto when her father asked her to move around. She sat up slowly, grinning when the jonin gave a relieved sigh.

"Good. You're alright. At least until we can get you back to Konaha."

Hinata nodded.

"Yeah. I think so."

Suddenly she was on her feet, gazing around. She slapped her forehead and activated her bloodline limit.

"Shino and Kiba…"

Kakashi got to his feet as well, glancing in the direction she was gazing in.

"Shit."

--

Shikamaru ran into Shino on his way back to the main clearing. Shino was injured, but he wasn't going to die anytime soon. The lazy ninja sighed and helped the bug boy back, letting him use him as a crutch.

--

Hinata found Kiba and Akamaru quite easily. Kiba was just fine, but Akamaru had a huge gash on his side. The dog's owner was frantically trying to patch it up, but Hinata could tell that his worrying wasn't helping at all.

"Kiba, stop freaking out. It's just making him worse" she murmured after landing next to him.

The boy stopped moving and turned to her, worry evident in his eyes. He stepped closer to her and grabbed her shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"Can you fix it??"

"I-I-I c-can i-if y-you le-let g-go o-of m-me" she stuttered, her fear of being touched hitting her full force.

The tight grip was gone in and instant and she took a deep breath.

"Don't touch me, please."

He nodded, uncertain of anything at the moment, and gestured to his faithful pet.

"What happened to him?" she questioned as she knelt down to help the poor pooch better.

"H-he got hit by something. I don't know. It came out of nowhere." His stutter was just as bad as hers when she was younger.

"Right. It'll be fine, Kiba. Relax, it'll calm Akamaru."

She let the green glow cover her hands before she touched the gash, almost recoiling after what her examination Jutsu told her.

"It was…it was from a…" she frowned. "I don't know what it was either…" the thing was foreign to her. Nothing was poisoning the dog, and it wasn't bleeding _too _badly, so it wouldn't be difficult to heal, but… it was still confusing.

She sighed and pushed her chakra slowly into the whimpering dog, trying to make sure she didn't overload his body with her chakra. It would end up really badly if she did that.

"Alright. We're ready to go" Kakashi landed near them, having counted everyone but them. "Hey, is he alright?"

Hinata just nodded, not taking her focus off the cut. It was taking a lot longer to heal than it should… She added a little more chakra to her steady push and was delighted to find it slowly forming new skin over the damaged patch.

Kiba hovered behind her, waiting impatiently for his best friend to be better. Kakashi motioned for the others to start back. Shika and Shino started walking, too tired to really run for that long at the moment. Naruto hung around, wanting to make sure everything was okay.

"There." She leaned back on her heels, giving Kiba a grin over her shoulder. Akamaru licked her hand and stood up, gently shaking out his fur. He was huge compared to her, but he wasn't intimidating to her, since they were on the same side.

Kiba lunged forward to hug her, but she sidestepped just in time. He crashed into his dog and they landed in a pile. Kiba started laughing and they got up slowly. Hinata stood up quickly; too quickly. Her world spun and she almost tripped over nothing. Naruto, still hovering behind them, caught her and smiled down into her face.

"S-sorry, Naruto-kun" she murmured, blushing a little.

Kakashi resisted rolling his eyes and pulled his forehead protector down over his left eye. Naruto's grin grew and he hoisted her up into his arms bridal style.

"It's alright, Hina-chan!"

"Uh-uhm, I can walk…" she murmured.

"Oh, I know!" he said cheerfully.

He carried her all the way back; even though they all knew she was fine.

* * *

**Uhm. Sorry it's late.**

**I plead guilty to poor quality.**

**Fight scenes were actually really tough. Sorry if you don't like them, but I'm actually pleased. For once. **

**Uhm....what else.**

**OH. The song I had in my head when I was writing for Shika's break down was "Why You Had To Leave" by Cascada. SHUT UP I KNOW IT'S STUPID**

**...The last thing was.... **

**DAW NARUHINA FLUFF**

**....at least, I think it was. D:**

**NO WAIT I HAD A PS**

**PS Ignore the time frame; I know that Gaara was supposed to be stolen before the Nibi. IGNORE ALL LOGIC, GAARA IS STILL OKAY RIGHT NOW. KIND OF. IN A GAARA KIND OF OKAY. **

**PPS IGNORE SPELLING AND GRAMMAR MISTAKES I'M WICKED TIRED FOR SOME STRANGE REASON (even though it's not strange at all; ten hours of sleep TOTAL LAST WEEK WHOOO)**

**PPPS LAST ONE I SWEAR I forgot what I was going to say OH YEAH SORRY FOR IT BEING SO SHORT AND SHITTY THANKS AND GOOD NIGHT  
**


	23. Oh Snap! goes Shika's brain

The next day, Hinata slept. She still couldn't believe she had helped beat an S-ranked criminal, even though she was forced to train and her body stimulated with truckloads of drugs. She tossed and turned fitfully, body and mind listless.

--

Shikamaru spoke to Kurenai, smiling for the first time the whole week. He talked about protecting her with all she had, even though he didn't really know her all that well. She carried Asuma's unborn baby in her womb.

--

Kakashi didn't dare leave on any missions, even though he knew that Hinata would be safe here. He just wanted to make sure she was fine, and every so often he slipped into her room to see how she was doing. Once he calmed her during a probable nightmare, and after that sat beside her bed, keeping watch like the father he was.

--

Naruto met up with old friends, getting to know them again. Their personalities changed, and Naruto had to hide the hurt when he realized that he didn't change at all. He was still a hyperactive blond, and his friends were moving up and changing. Most of them were Chunin and some even Jonin. He was still stuck at Genin.

--

Sasuke got caught up in a rush at the hospital, helping more than three-hundred people. Many were just check-ups, but at least half were in for injuries. A fourth of those were ANBU, and the rest were surgeries. He wondered, as he was running from room to room, if Tsunade set up all of this work on purpose.

--

Later the next day, Sasuke met with his teacher.

"Tsunade…I'd like to talk with you about Hinata." He asked politely.

"Sure…sure…" she muttered, scribbling her signature on another sheet of paper.

"…I'm quite serious."

A sigh.

"Fine." She finished scanning a sheet and tossed it into the trash can, looking at him with her full attention.

"What? I'm very busy."

"About Hinata…" he began.

"Oh, the one you've loved for the past three years?" Tsunade interjected innocently.

"…Yes, that one." The raven ground his teeth, trying not to take his anger out on her. She was still stronger, even though she didn't look it.

"Alright. Continue. I'm listening…"

--

Sasuke appeared at Hinata's front door and knocked. He didn't expect Kakashi to answer, and the man narrowed his visible eye at the Uchiha.

"Sasuke?"

"Kakashi-sensei. I'm here for Hinata…" Sasuke replied, peering over the Jonín's shoulder to try to see her.

"I'm sure you are." Kakashi made no move to let him in.

"It's about her memories." Sasuke finally said, letting his gaze go back to his sensei when he could not see who he was looking for.

Suddenly Kakashi looked serious, not murderous. "What about them?"

"Tsunade's decided that it would be better to get them sealed."

"Thank Kami. When is she going to do it?"

"Whenever you feel like showing up to the hospital."

"I'll go get her" Kakashi zipped away, closing the door firmly behind him.

Sasuke sighed and gazed at the door a moment longer before turning and making his way back to Tsunade. He would be assisting her in the simple thing, as he hadn't quite perfected memory seals and this would be good practice. Damn, though, Kakashi must have realized that he had feelings for his daughter if he was glaring at the raven. He had to hide them even deeper now…

--

Hinata still didn't know if she really wanted to get her memories sealed, but when Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke advocated that she did, she agreed. It might be easier without them, and it wouldn't hurt. She was told to relax and her head was strapped down. The rest of her body was too, straps around her stomach and legs to keep her restrained. Her arms were also pinned to the table, and she felt vulnerable. Tsunade's presence made her feel comfortable and safe, and Naruto was allowed in the exam room so that she could hold his hand. It was a little awkward, but then Hinata wouldn't freak out on them and hurt them – or herself.

Karin made a surprise visit to see her in the middle of it, since Hinata was not allowed to sleep incase they messed up something in her brain. They only wanted to seal part of her memories. Karin sat on her other side and held her other hand. Naruto looked a little angry, but then Hinata squeezed his hand and smiled at him, looking at him the whole time. Karin had been accepted as a Konaha Jonin, and her tale for Hinata was an interesting one.

"So basically I get called out to go on certain missions, since we are trying to put a medic-nin on every team. I don't work well with anyone, though, because everyone is really confused at how I heal. I don't mind, though, because they can just go fuck themselves. I hope I get paired with your team at least once…That would be cool, right?"

Hinata couldn't nod, so she grinned and gave her a thumbs up. She was tired, because the seal was wearing her out; it took not just the medics chakra but her own too. The seal that Tsunade and Sasuke were working on weaving in her brain had to be used to her chakra so that it didn't cause more problems than it was worth.

--

Sasuke felt bad about not telling Kakashi about what they were really sealing, but he felt that it was important to know some of the things Hinata learned under Orochimaru. Seduction was a big part of Kunoichi missions, and if she had to relearn them all over again it would just be embarrassing to everyone. So they were really just sealing Orochimaru and Kabuto's rape. That was it.

--

It was such a simple seal to administer, but Sasuke and the Hokage took their time because of Hinata's Byakugan. They didn't want to mess up her vision, any other memory, or her ninja skills. Paralysis could also occur, but they were lucky and it didn't happen. They finished within two and a half hours, and then they set her free. She was a little tired but figured that she would be more comfortable resting at home. They could check later if it worked by sending someone by.

--

Kakashi was delighted to find that the memories with that snake-bastard were gone, and she seemed happier. He had been a little cautious at first, but when she hugged him he knew she was back to normal. He still hated the snake for doing that in the first place, but it didn't matter as much because she was safe from him now. Safe.

--

Shikamaru was elsewhere, trying to find information on Jashinists. It was very difficult, as there weren't any left in the world. He sighed and closed the book he had been flipping through, not finding anything. There had been a symbol on the cover that looked exactly like the necklace Hidan had been wearing, but there had only been a faint mention of Jashin.

Shika cursed and ran his hand through his hair as he exited the library. They had nothing more to offer him. He would go home for the night and start searching again in the morning, checking with the files he could access as an ANBU member. He took a left at an intersection and nearly ran into someone. He halted quickly and held her shoulders back to keep her from walking into her.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention…" he began, words fading as he noticed something.

"Uh, it's okay. Can you let me go, please?" the girl asked politely, narrowing her eyes at him when she noticed where he was gazing.

"Oh, yeah, sorry… Hey can you tell me where you got that?" he asked, releasing her and pointing to her necklace.

The young looking girl blinked and picked up the necklace from where it was hanging against her chest.

"This?"

Shikamaru was getting frustrated at how slowly she was answering.

"Yes, that."

"Oh. Well that's easy. Jashin told me to make it."

The lazy ninjas eyes widened and he grabbed her wrist tightly, muttering some words and disappearing with her in a swirl of leaves.

--

When the two reappeared in his apartment, the girl was staring at him with confusion. She somehow managed to get a weapon into her hands, and she held it in front of her. She was a ninja as well.

"Why am I here?" she questioned, eyes not leaving his.

"I have some questions for you. I've been looking for the answers and I can't lose them now. I promise I won't hurt you. I just want to know."

"Oh right, like you could even kill me. I'm immortal." She thought that would startle him, but he just nodded.

"Right. I know that part. I met another one of you."

"Really?" she looked excited and she dropped her weapon a couple of inches from her face. She held it loosely in her grip, still at the ready just in case.

Shika nodded and gestured towards the couch. "How about I tell you about it? Then you can tell me what I need to know. I only have a few questions…"

The girl tilted her head and then sat down, placing her steel Bo staff across her lap. It was slightly taller than her, and she was taller than him…..

He sat down as well, keeping his hands in plain sight. He placed them on his legs, flat and unmoving. He could manipulate his shadow without his hands anyways, so if he was attacked he could defend himself.

"Right. So…uhm where do I start…" he muttered to himself.

"You could start by telling me your name" she prompted.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. I'm Shikamaru." He wondered what rank she was as a ninja, or if she was even a Konaha ninja. But then he noticed the Leaf symbol on the headband wrapped around her neck. It wasn't hidden by her hair, so he didn't understand why he didn't see it before.

"I'm Hisa. Tenshi Hisa."

"….I see." Shikamaru wondered how she managed to get that dead on.

"I named myself, you see. I thought it was fitting. Don't you think?" she tilted her head at him, and if he hadn't been trying to gather information he would have called her cute.

"I guess so. Now, where should I start?"

"When did you meet this other Jashinist?"

"A few days ago. Maybe a week."

"Male or female?"

"Male."

"What did he look like?"

"About your hight, silver hair, purple eyes."

"Weapon?"

Shikamaru was starting to get a little annoyed by the questions she was asking, but he wanted some in return so he had to answer them.

"Three pronged scythe."

"Ohhhh that's neat."

"…"

"Hm. What else what else….. Oh! What's his name?"

"Hidan."

"Where is Hidan?"

"In a hole."

"…..Oh. How long ago since you've buried him and how deep?"

"Pretty deep. About four days ago. He's in pieces. Mmm maybe thirty feet?"

"I see. So he's dead then." Hisa leaned back slightly, brown eyes unreadable.

"H-he is?" Shika stuttered, eyes widening in surprise.

"…If Jashinists cannot kill for four days and three hours, they die. Even if it is the smallest death, if there is blood then our life is extended. See…we have a special way of life…" Hisa drawled, adding a little yawn to show that she didn't care if she revealed information.

"…You're kidding…" The male murmured, unable to believe it.

"Nope!" She disagreed cheerfully.

"…Well, it's my turn for questions" He finally said.

"Sure."

"Hidan said two words to me before the rocks buried him. _Thank you._ What do you suppose he meant?"

The brown-haired girl really tested his patience thinking about it. She did adopt a thoughtful expression, like she was trying to think of an answer as well.

"I think I know."

"…Well?" Shika prompted, leaning forward eagerly. This little bit of information could mean he might finally be able to sleep. The question had kept him up since he had seen Hidan mouth the words at him.

"I'm not telling" she gave him a cheeky grin.

"….Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Hisa stood up and stretched, grin still plastered on her face. Her eyes seemed to taunt him even further.

"I told you everything. You owe me."

"…Yeah."

"So tell me."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Make me."

Shikamaru didn't move, but his small shadow flitted across the room and captured her before she realized what was happening. But her grin only widened when she was forced to move as he did, gazing at him calmly.

"I can kill you the same way." He drawled.

"Go ahead. You won't find out, then." She looked confident, but her voice sounded like she was starting to panic. Did she not want to die?

"What do I have to do to get you to tell me?" he growled, breaking off the shadow so that he could stride over to her.

"Hm…. I dunno…." She seemed to take forever in this answer, too.

"Just…just tell me, bitch!" Shika snapped and whipped his hand out towards her face.

Hisa was looking to the side and down now, her hair out of her face only because her hair was up in twin pigtails. She slowly turned to face him, and when she did there was a red hand print on her left cheek. It was slightly messed up, though, because she had the craziest grin on her face, eyes full of…something. Shikamaru took a step back for safety, and she took a step forward.

"Do it again" she hissed, dropping her weapon and holding her hands palm up to appear peaceful.

"What?"

"Pain"

"…Pain?"

"Pain is my pleasure, idiot."

"…So you're a pain-slut?" Shikamaru couldn't keep the words from tumbling from his mouth.

"…You could put it that way."

"Will you tell me if I…hurt you?" he asked, suddenly shy.

"Guess you'll just have to find out, huh?" Her grin was mocking now.

"Guess I will." He finally muttered, eyes narrowed.

The lazy ninja strode forward, mustering confidence. He drew back a fist and hit her square in the face. It felt good, seeing her knocked onto her butt. To his astonishment, he heard her let out a tiny moan. She really did love pain.

"Does that make you mad?" she questioned, looking up at him. "Seeing me happy to get hurt? Knowing that you can never truly hurt me?"

Again he was surprised when he nodded. It did make him angry. She wouldn't tell him what he so desperately needed to know, and he couldn't do anything about it. Actually…

--

If someone had gone up to Shikamaru and told him that he would be abusing a hot chick for information later that day, he wouldn't believe them. But here he was, trying his hardest to beat the answer out of her.

"Why. Won't. You. Tell. Me???" He screamed at her, drawing another kunai and shoving it into her leg.

Her body was littered with them, and blood was dripping from each and every wound. Her skin was even paler than it had been before, but she didn't seem any different. Other than being speechless, of course. Her head was thrown back against the rug, and her eyes were tightly shut. Her mouth emitted a low moan every time he drew blood. She couldn't hear his words over the high of her pain.

"TELL ME!" he screamed, slapping her across the face for the millionth time. Hisa just made another noise. This one sounded like a purr.

Shikamaru tried to gather his wits. _What is the most painful thing to a girl???_ And then he figured it out. He actually thought of Hinata when he realized what his solution was; rape. When females didn't want sex they were hurt tenfold; physically and mentally. But he didn't know if he had it in him to rape someone. He wasn't that low… Or so he thought. The more he watched her try to move around only for more pain, the more torn apart his mind was.

And then he was on top of her, ripping weapons out of her body. She screamed and moaned under him, and she begged him for more of the agony she was receiving. He gladly gave it to her, ripping her clothes to shreds and abusing her body more. He twisted her breasts, loving the way she stiffened and babbled incoherently. When he tore her skirt and shorts off, she finally caught on that he was going to rape her. Her eyes went wide, but he was too far gone to figure out what she was thinking.

He shoved three fingers into her, added another and then another. He pushed hard, holding her down with one hand. He managed to shove his limb inside of her to the wrist before he got bored and pulled out. He grinned like a maniac and grabbed a kunai from the pile next to him, pushing that inside of her next. He added two more before he continued with something different.

He ignored her screams and pleadings to stop, pulling his member out of his pants and quickly shoving himself inside of her ass. The next scream he heard didn't sound happy at all, so he fucked her hard. He held her still with his right hand, and he used the kunai in his left to injure her stomach. He twisted the blade sharply, and he was satisfied when he heard a choking noise.

Finally he finished and he pulled out, wiping himself off with a towel he found in the bathroom. The rational part of his brain was starting to come back, and he grabbed a large towel for her. She was still lying on the floor when he returned, and he quietly picked up all of his things. He dumped the bloodied weapons in his sink and returned to clean her up. He was starting to remember what he had been trying to do, and his stomach churned. He ran to the bathroom again in time to empty his stomach.

Hisa still hadn't moved when he entered the living room for the third time. She was crying, but she hadn't moved. He thought he was going to be sick again, but he just started to bandage her. She made no move to stop him, so he did his best to heal her with what he knew.

"I'll tell you" she murmured when he got to her face.

Shikamaru froze in his spot, hands still in the process of ripping some tape off a role so that he could keep the white bandage on her cheek in place.

"…what?" he questioned in a whisper, unable to talk any louder than that.

She nodded slowly.

"I've never been more hurt in my life…"

A thought struck him.

"How old are you…?"

"Fifty" she whispered back.

"I'm so sorry" he closed his eyes, referring to what he did rather than how old she was.

"Don't be. I'll be fine. It's happened before…I've just never known any Leaf ninja to do that. I'm quite impressed, actually." She was starting to get her voice back.

"Y-you are?" he stammered.

"Yeah. Now shut up and get me some water so I can tell you." She started coughing, and blood flew from her mouth.

Instantly he had a cup of water in his hand, holding it out to her. She accepted it with a shaky hand and took a small sip. Then she gulped it down, giving a small sigh as she sat up.

"Thanks…"

"So you're… you're different" Shikamaru finally said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I like that. Do I scare you?"

"A little."

"Good."

"…Tell me?"

"Oh, right."

"Yeah."

"Okay. It's just a theory, but I'm pretty sure it's right. Hidan said thank you because he wanted to die. But Jashinists can't just die; we have to fall in battle. When we give it our all, we can be killed if we lose and then cannot kill for four days and three hours. When you beat Hidan, he had been going all out; I'm assuming he was anyways, since he thanked you. If a Jashinist tells you how you can kill them, you cannot kill that Jashinist. Now you can't kill me. But I don't care. I don't want to die, anyways."

"….That's it?"

"Pretty sure."

"…That's stupid."

"Maybe. Maybe not. When you die, would you like to see your god?"

"Yeah."

"He wanted to see ours. If we cannot die, we can never see the god we serve. I will never see Jashin. But only because I don't plan on dying."

"Why not?" Shikamaru was curious.

"I like serving Jashin-sama as much as I can. And if that means that I can never die and see him, then I'm okay with that. I just want to please him."

"…But don't you want to see who you serve, like Hidan?"

"Oh, all the time. But I'd rather Jashin-sama be happy with me spreading his word and law."

"Killing for him, you mean."

"Kind of. Look, I'm basically telling you all my secrets now. I would love to convert you, since you have such a great love for giving pain and death, but I can see it's pointless. Not many people understand the great ideas and morals of Jashin-sama."

"….Right. Okay, so…now what?"

"You let me go, and we never meet again. We never mention this to anyone."

"…Mkay. Leave the ninja way, okay?"

"You got it. See you never, Nara Shikamaru."

And then she was gone.

…_I never told her my last name….Shit._

--

Hinata and Naruto were on another date when they got the summons. Tsunade wanted them in her office – urgent.

--

"I've called you here as the emergency team. Akatsuki has struck again. We need you to go and heal Kankuro and save Gaara. You have one hour to pack. Details in the mission scrolls."

--

"Funny how it seems perfectly fine one day, then some catastrophic thing the next…" Hinata murmured, actually meaning the opposite.

"Yeah…" Sasuke murmured back, checking his bag for the tenth time. He wanted to make sure that he had enough medical supplies with him to heal Gaara's brother.

"Right; we're ready. All of you here?" Kakashi wondered, leaning back to see who was there.

"Hai!" Hinata saluted, checking her right hand with a small glance.

"Affirmative" Shika yawned, itching to start so they could help the Kazekage.

"Of course" Sasuke snorted, shifting from foot to foot.

"Do you think I packed enough ramen?" Naruto pondered, not hearing Kakashi's question.

Kakashi sighed. "Yep. Everyone's here."

--

The trip was long and tiring. Hinata, Sasuke and Shikamaru had to keep popping soldier pills every so often to keep their strength up. Traveling through the desert was difficult, since they couldn't push themselves ahead with chakra. They kept running through the two and a half days it took to get to the sand village, though. Naruto never once swallowed a pill, but sometimes Hinata found that his eyes shone with red malice and didn't say anything.

--

Finally they got there.

"Konaha team, here." Kakashi motioned to his team as they landed in front of the Sand council.

"Where's the patient?" Sasuke cut in, wanting to save someone more than catch up with useless politics.

"He's this way" Temari spoke up from the doorway, pushing herself up into a straight position.

"Bring me." Sasuke commanded.

Shika watched as they left to go help the blond female's brother. He took a deep breath and dove into the fray, asking about the situation and when they could leave. Kakashi let him work through, his brain following but astounded at how quickly the boy could worm his way into gaining more knowledge that he could have ever gotten.

Hinata slipped out after Sasuke, wanting to know how she could help the raven. She had also studied and training as a medic-nin, even though he probably knew more. She knew about forbidden things, though, and sometimes they could do more than the normal way of healing. She wished that Karin had come with them. She would have been able to track the bastards that took the red-head.

--

It took Sasuke and Hinata two hours to neutralize the poison and extract some of it. They made sure Kankuro was completely fine before starting on the cure. Sasuke wanted to be sure to have some just in case the man who poisoned the puppeteer used more on them. Hinata made sure to make two for herself, so that made six little syringes in total. They could beat these guys, easy. They had to.

--

Naruto was pacing the clearing, wearing a small tunnel in the sand. It would have been bigger, but the sand kept falling back into the rout, filling it back up. He glanced up as he saw people approaching. His team. He sighed happily and blinked when Hinata glomped him, arms tightly wrapped around his middle.

"Uh, Hinata-chan?" He asked, voice muffled. He was nuzzling her hair, taking in the sweet smell of the girl.

"We couldn't find you for a little bit. Worried" she murmured, blushing and backing off of him.

Naruto grinned cheekily at her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"Let's go."

--

Kakashi wondered if their backup team would get there in time. Then he snorted and grinned; if it was Gai's team, they might beat them there. He smiled at Hinata under his mask when she fell back and asked if he was alright. "Course, Hina-chan. Course."

--

"…It looks like a giant rock." Naruto gazed up at it.

"It smells like a giant rock…" he went on, inhaling deeply.

"Tastes like a..."

"We get the point" Sasuke deadpanned, halting the blond.

Naruto glanced up to everyone staring at him. He had his tongue on the boulder, licking up the side. He looked back down at his tongue.

"Oh, right" he chuckled, pulling away and wiping his tongue off after it was detached from the rock.

Hinata was still giggling.

--

"YOSH! WE ARE HERE TO SAVE A YOUTH" Gai landed in the fray with a shout.

"YES! GAI-SENSEI, I WISH I HAD AN ENTRY AS DYNAMIC AS YOURS!" Lee shouted at his sensei, turning a cartwheel.

Everyone except Hinata turned away, shielding their eyes from further harm. She glanced around, amused. She had seen weirder things, and this actually wasn't so bad. She was forced to retract her unspoken statement when the two Green Beasts of Konaha started hugging.

"Right. So, there are four seals on here" Kakashi tried to stop the hug fest, which he was almost roped into.

"YOSH! WE WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM, RIGHT TEAM YOUTH?!" Gai shouted, standing in his good guy pose. All of them were nearly blinded by his teeth.

"Gai, Lee…." Tenten started sweetly. "WE'RE TEAM GAI, NOT TEAM YOUTH!"

Said team ran off to deactivate the paper seals corresponding with the ones on the boulder that Naruto had licked. Hinata wished Neji luck quietly, but he made no hint that he heard her words.

--

Hinata activated her Byakugan for the third time since the other team ran off.

"Oh hey, they got them!" She spoke with excitement in her voice, turning to her friends with a smile.

Sasuke took that as his cue and finally showed them his new strength. One chakra-laced punch to the large rock was all it took. They waited for the dust to settle before walking in slowly.

--

Kakashi had a bad feeling about this. The support team said that they had some trouble coming in, and they were currently fighting doubles of themselves. At least, that's what he heard before they went dead. He wished them luck through a quick prayer and then focused on the task ahead. But on the entire way to the Akatsuki lair, they hadn't met up with anyone else. Akatsuki were partnered up, and if only one partner tried to stop them from coming….They might very well be there waiting. Was it all a trap? It probably was.

They were going in anyways.

--

Hinata was a little wary going in, even though she had her Byakugan activated. The three figures were near the back of the cave…

"…**Gaara….what are you doing, sleeping there lazy??"** Naruto shouted.

Hinata looked over to the blond in alarm. His eyes were red and slitted, and his whisker marks were even more defined. His canines looked sharper, too. Hinata wondered how they all missed his change.

"**STAND THE HELL UP!"**

Hinata looked at Naruto sadly.

"Naruto…You have to understand…"

Before she could finish her sentence the blond on the other side of the cave spoke up.

"Yeah yeah, he's dead already, un."

There was a long pause, and Hinata could have sworn she saw Naruto's marks grow even more defined.

"**Give Gaara back, you bastards!!"** Naruto started to run at the two Akatsuki members.

Kakashi was suddenly in front of Naruto, who had to stop short to avoid crashing into his sensei.

"Don't go rushing in…" Kakashi murmured, "They'll destroy you if you don't think first."

Hinata took her boyfriend's hand in hers and smiled at him, trying to get him to think properly. She didn't want him to get hurt…

Naruto tossed his head back and let out a loud howl that chilled everyone's bones. The two Akatsuki members didn't look fazed at all.

"Danna…If you don't mind I'll take the Jinchuuriki, un."

"…The assignment is one person to a beast….don't push it Deidara."

"If an artist doesn't get high levels of inspiration, his sentiments are dulled, Danna. It's said that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is considerably strong, un."

"What? You call those explosions fine art? Fine art is something wonderful that's left long into the future…eternal beauty."

"They involve the same skilled labor, un. I respect you, but fine art is the beauty of that single fleeting moment of explosion, un."

"**STOP FOOLING AROUND, BASTARDS!"** Naruto interrupted, pulling out a scroll and unrolling it with surprising speed.

The whiskered blond grabbed the large shirukin that popped out of the smoke and jumped over Kakashi, throwing the weapon as hard as he could. Neither of the S-ranked criminals moved, and right before the item hit the man next to Deidara it was deflected. A long, curled metal tail hovered above 'Danna's' head, and Hinata stared in shock. They didn't even move!

"Deidara, you little brat, are you trying to piss me off??" the one arguing with Deidara picked up where they left off.

"My fine art is explosions." When Deidara crossed his arms and pouted, he looked like a little child that didn't get his way. "Completely different than your little puppet show, un!"

Deidara stood slowly, the large clay bird following his movements and picking up the body that he was sitting on in its mouth. The bird lifted into the air and Deidara jumped up onto its back.

"See you, Danna."

Naruto and Kakashi looked up as the blond left the cave, flying higher every second. Naruto started to run after them, chasing Gaara.

"WAIT THE HELL UP!"

Kakashi sped after him, quickly giving the others a warning before he left.

"Naruto and I will handle the one outside. Sasuke, Hinata, Chiyo, take care of this one…just… be careful. Don't over do it."

The three ninjas nodded seriously, and the silver-haired man was gone.

--

Hinata gazed at the ninja opposite them, trying to figure out how to beat him. They really could use Shikamaru's smarts right now, but…he was still in Suna… he needed to stay behind because of exhaustion. Or something. Hinata was about to make up her mind when she noticed something at the edge of her vision. Keeping her Byakugan activated, she spun around in time to see a familiar red-head land near them.

"Karin! What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, trying to keep her surprise hidden with anger.

Karin didn't seem to notice; she knew when Hinata was surprised and when she was really angry. "Thought you might need some help."

Hinata turned back around so that she was facing the bulky figure again.

"I have an idea…" she murmured to them.

--

Naruto and Kakashi were following the bird, trying their best to keep up. Naruto kept surging ahead, but he was pulled back by Kakashi's insistent warnings to stay together. This Deidara figure was confusing. He could easily attack the two on the ground, but he just drew them further and further away. Was it because he was going to make such a big explosion that he didn't want to harm his partner?

Suddenly there was motion to their right and Kakashi aimed a kunai while turning to see. But it was just Hinata.

"Hinata?" his brows creased in confusion.

"I'm here to help." She said shortly. She gave them both a grin and then started to run through handseals.

"**Gaara…"** Naruto murmured, voice still the rough tone it was when the Kyuubi was about to release some of its chakra.

Hinata's hands went through hundreds of seals as they ran, and even though she had most of her focus on getting them correct, she didn't slip. She finished the thousand and one signs in a minute and then muttered the technique's name. Naruto and Kakashi didn't hear it, but they saw what it did.

--

Hinata joined Deidara on his bird, stumbling into him as she landed. It was trickier on a moving surface, and she had only used her long-range Jutsu only four times before this. She made a mental note to practice it and then faced the surprised man.

Under different circumstances Hinata would have considered the man under her cute. His frown paired with the black ringed eye made him look mysterious and alluring. But she knew that he was dangerous. In the second while they were tangled together on the back of the bird, Hinata had her sword out and pointed at him.

"Give me Gaara and I'll let you live" She spoke clearly, trying to figure out what he would do to stop her.

"The fuck, un?" the man asked, rubbing his head with one hand. He had scrambled to his feet just as quickly as she did, but he was looking at the point of her sword.

"Just give me-"

"I know what you said!" the blond snarled, knocking the tip away from his face and ducking, aiming a punch at her stomach.

Hinata was shoved off the edge of the bird and Deidara watched as her weapon tumbled away and stuck in a large tree trunk near the ground. He grinned and turned in time to see two fingers aimed at his heart. He was the one shoved backwards off the bird this time, but the clay animal immediately did a barrel roll and dove down to catch its creator. Hinata was waiting with a kunai ready, but Deidara played dirty and made the bird fall suddenly.

Hinata screamed as they plummeted fifty feet. By the time she recovered, he was grabbing her wrists painfully tight. The two mouths on the hands were curious and two small pink tongues stuck out to taste what was there. Hinata stopped screaming and stared at the appendages.

"…The hell?" She murmured.

Then her eyes widened and she dove down, using chakra once again to stick her body to the bird. Deidara was pulled down as well, just in time to avoid getting hit by a stream of fire aimed at him.

"…Thanks, un?" the confused criminal spoke softly.

"You forgot about my boyfriend and my dad" Hinata grinned ferally at him, much like Naruto's crazy Kyuubi grin.

"….Hm..." the artist seemed to do something because the bird pulled up again, out of range of the Jutsus Kakashi was throwing.

Hinata swept her body around and used her feet to kick Deidara's hands away from her wrists, somehow managing to tangle them up even more. He continued to hold her in a tight grip.

"Oh no. You're not getting away from me, un. Whatever happens to me happens to you, un!"

Hinata grinned at him cheekily.

"If you're so sure about that, okay!" she focused on her chakra and pulled out enough to force the man away from her body. Deidara was almost flung off his bird by her impromptu Kaiten. She groaned and held her head, trying to rid herself of the small headache she always got when not spinning in the opposite direction of her chakra.

Deidara yelped and dragged himself up to the bird's back again, using one hand to slap his foot vigerously. Hinata could see a small tendril of smoke curling from his foot, and she laughed. _Direct hit!_

--

Back in the cave, Sasuke and Karin were working on taking Sasori down. Chiyo was helping by attaching chakra strings to Sasuke, allowing him to dodge the puppet-masters attacks more successfully. Karin was acting as backup, keeping hold of their antidotes so that they cure each other quickly.

Sasuke finally got close enough to smash the initial puppet that the Akatsuki member was in, allowing them to finally see what he really looked like. The cloaked figure seemed to regard them cautiously for a moment, but then the hood fell down and they saw his face.

"…What the ass."

--

Hinata grappled with Deidara for a full minute before remembering that she could just overload his chakra with hers. She hoped that she had more, because if she didn't then it would backfire. She took a small breath and then shoved chakra through her fingers into his. The blond let out a very high pitched yelp again and backpedaled a few feet. He managed to stay on the bird, but Hinata was lunging for him and he couldn't use his hands.

"Fuck!" he shouted, then let himself free fall backwards, making the bird dip and swerve to catch him once again.

Hinata hung on for dear life, only remembering that she should get Gaara when she spotted Naruto's blond hair. She didn't know why that made her remember, but she quickly made her way to the bird's head before Deidara could get back on.

Said ninja had landed on his creation only seconds after she clung to the head of the bird, trying to pry open its mouth. Deidara didn't notice until the clay started to swerve, trying to heave the girl off. Deidara swore again and reached for her ankle. She wondered why he wasn't fighting back with more clay, but then she saw him fumble with his clay pouches. Nothing was in them.

She laughed and kicked his arms away, creating a shadow clone to slow him down. It didn't do much, so she made ten more. They stock-piled on him and she cracked the birds mouth open. She made another clone and sent it flying off the bird, aimed at her dad and friend.

--

Hinata's clone came a few seconds before Gaara's body.

"Get ready to catch Gaara!" it said cheerfully before smacking into a tree and poofing away.

--

Deidara muttered under his breath about how he shouldn't be losing to a girl.

"Shut up!" Hinata yelled over the wind, hearing everything he was saying.

"You shut up, un! I would be winning if I had my clay, un!"

And then his mouth widened in a grin.

"Wait…"

Hinata's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly.

"You wouldn't!"

His hands went into a familiar sign.

"You'll die too!"

"KATSU!"

--

Sasori was beating them.

Sasuke jumped away with an odd twist of his body, his limbs following orders from the old woman behind him. The iron sand just attacked him with no restraints, and he got hit by it a few times before he decimated the puppet. He didn't have time to heal his wounds, so he had to let his blood flow from his body, making him weaker and weaker. But even if he couldn't move on his own, Chiyo would still kill Sasori. She had to.

There was a flash of red and Sasuke felt someone next to him.

"Hurry up and bite me!" Karin hissed, holding her arm in front of his face.

He wasted no time in doing so, and he felt his wounds being healed. He let her go when he felt better, and he rushed forward again to deliver a bone-shattering blow to the knucklehead who thought everlasting beauty was art.

--

Naruto and Kakashi managed to stop Gaara's fall, holding his heavy body between them. They stopped running through the trees to get a better hold on the dead-weight Kazekage and take a breather. Some of the anger in Naruto's face fell away, and Kakashi let out a loud sigh.

That's when the clay bird blew up.

* * *

**...**

**So uhm.**

**I have a few reasons why I haven't been posting lately.**

**But they sound stupid now.**

**I'll list them anyways.**

**-I took three weeks to get my life back into some sense of order.**

**-Two weeks to take a vacation to some random place**

**-One day to get sick**

**-three weeks to get over being sick**

**-two months to sit at the computer and still not have any inspiration for writing**

**-one week for sleeping (spread out over a month)**

**-twelve hours for a 4-page book report (had to cut it down from thirteen pages to five..)**

**-1000+ cups of tea**

**I think that's it. I hope it's sufficient.**

**The other night I got struck by inspiration so I whipped this up and now I'm posting it. :D**

**I know it's been a long time, but now here's a new chapter, and guess what? It's longer than I usually write! :D**

**....Yay?**

**PS I know I left you all with a really really really...suspenseful cliffhanger, but you haven't really had a big one for so long that I thought it fitting. please don't complain.**

**PPS Sorry if the chapter is a little... off. I'm still sick and one of the people that got it said that they were a little brain-fartish when they were sick. I am still sick so if you really want this chapter rewritten please tell me so I can think of something less crack-ish. ...Yeah. Cuz I reread Shika's little crash and burn and I'm laughing at how OOC he is. But if you think about it, in this story his brain is a little messed up too, so..... ENJOY KTHXSBYE**

**PPS 22 pages in word ;D  
**


	24. BoMbS aRe FuN! Also, Gaara is odd

Kakashi's sharingan picked up the explosion faster than it happened. It seemed to take forever for all the smoke and fire to stop. Parts of clay and things rained down around them, and Kakashi's heart nearly stopped. He had lost his daughter once, and now it was happening again. Except this time she might be dead.

"HINATA!!!"

There was no response, only an echoed version of his tortured cry.

--

Sasuke finished Sasori off with what seemed like a million of his chakra-coated punches. Chiyo used his own parents against him, and they got him right through the heart. Sasuke had torn his body up many times, but before he could get to the bastards heart he pulled himself together with a flick of the wrist.

Now he stood there panting, wishing it wasn't so hard to fight the bad guys. Karin was at the back, slumped against the wall. He was pretty sure she was bleeding badly, so he ignored his own wounds and stumbled over to her to check. He dropped to his knees and used the last remaining bits of his healing chakra to make sure the red-head would live. Hinata was so fond of her, and it seemed a waste for anyone helping him to die…

Karin awoke to find Sasuke passed out on her lap. She joined soon after, body still aching from healing him and Chiyo so often.

--

Back in the Sand Village, Shikamaru was calming Temari down. She was still frustrated about not being able to help the others get her youngest brother back. He could tell she wasn't just mad; she was frustrated and scared and she didn't know what was going to happen. He sighed and dragged her to a private room, so that no one else would see her inevitable explosion.

Only ten minutes after he brought her to solitude, she lost it. Tears went streaming down her face, and she blubbered about not being able to protect anyone. That sounded so familiar.

"Come here" he murmured, and he took her into his arms.

They sat there, holding each other, trying to clam down. Slowly but surely, Temari quieted down, stunned by how helpful this boy was. The first time she met him, he was on the streets, muttering about how troublesome things were. Now he wasn't even uttering that word.

"_Thank you"_ she whispered.

--

Chiyo watched over the two ninja who helped her kill her grandson. They had done a fabulous job, especially against such an odd foe. She just wished that Sasori had turned out better. She sighed and glanced outside to the sky, waiting for the others to return. She had a special Jutsu in mind and she needed the Kazekage's body to do it.

--

The blond shook his head, trying to clear the oncoming headache. He guessed he had passed out for a few seconds, getting hit by some of the explosion. He scowled as he remembered what the chick he was fighting had done. He looked around for her and spotted her face down in the grass. He narrowed his eyes and crawled over to her, wincing when one of his hands alerted him to a wound.

He stopped moving towards her and sat up, examining his hand. Hand wounds were the worst for him because of the mouths on them. His left palm was bleeding right below the mouth, and the tongue started to swipe at the red liquid. He sighed and grabbed a roll of bandages in one of his pockets, thankful that he remembered to bring them.

When he finished wrapping it tight enough that he could still use his hands for seals, he tossed the bandage roll into his empty clay bag and looked around again. He was in a dense forest, and he was glad that they landed in a softer, more open space. Then he remembered who was with him and scrambled to his feet, eyeing her warily. She still hadn't moved.

--

Kakashi desperately wanted to find Hinata, but he knew that they had to drop Gaara off somewhere. He finally thought long enough to make a few clones. They took the body and started on their way back. A single one ran ahead to alert the others and to get them to help if they were finished with their fight.

"Naruto, do you think you can calm down enough to sniff her out?" The jonin asked the blond standing there, clenching his fists hard enough to turn the knuckles white.

He made a low growling noise, and when Naruto turned to Kakashi, he could see the red slits that were his eyes. Kakashi sighed and ran a hand through his hair, debating on how to do this. Hinata was in trouble, and the only ones that could sniff her out was…

"I'm so stupid!" he slapped his forehead, which turned out to be a bad idea when his hand his metal.

Naruto started pacing on all fours, in a mental battle with the fox. He let out a few growls, and Kakashi took a step away from him to summon his dogs. All of them appeared, and he gave them quick instructions on what to do. They went in a few different directions to find her scent. The silver-haired man finally turned back to the blond and let out a sharp whistle.

"AHH!" Naruto cried, hands flying up to cover his ears.

Naruto's head, now unsupported by his hands, hit the wood with a loud thump. His hands went to his head, cradling his head in his hands. His enhanced sense of hearing hurt his eardrums more than the average person.

"We need to use the Kyuubi's power wisely" he growled, trying to get Naruto to hold onto his logic and not let the fox blind him with anger.

Naruto just let out a snarl.

Kakashi sighed and whistled again, and the chakra shield around the blond wavered. Naruto's eyes gazed up at him, almost back to normal.

"Good! Naruto, control the power, use it, and don't let it use you!" Kakashi shouted excitedly, hoping Naruto could sniff out his daughter.

Kakashi watched the younger ninjas eyes started to shift from blue to red and back again. Naruto's body tensed for a moment, as if he was struggling with himself, and then he let out a cry.

--

Sasuke woke up slowly, his mind still hazy. He jumped up when his mind came back to him, but he sat down quickly when his head spun. He waited for it to clear before looking around, careful not to give himself whiplash. He saw movement at the center of the cave entrance, and he stood up carefully, holding the wall for support.

"…Kakashi?"

Before the words even left his lips five clones appeared, carrying the red-headed Kazekage. Sasuke's eyes widened and he hurried over, ignoring the part of his brain that screamed at him to sleep.

"We're just clones…bringing you an update…"

"And Gaara" another one said cheerily.

The other four Kakashi's glared at the happy one and he shrugged. "Why not enjoy the simple things while they last? Besides, the real me is worried enough."

"Update. Now." Sasuke demanded, bring them back to attention.

"Oh. Yes. Right. Sorry."

--

Kakashi was fascinated by the color of Naruto's eyes. They had switched back and forth over blue and red, and they finally landed on purple; right in-between. They were bright like Naruto's blue eyes, but dangerous like the Kyuubi's. There were also red and blue flecks that glittered when Naruto blinked, and Naruto did quite a bit of blinking.

"…Naruto?" Kakashi asked cautiously.

"**Yes?"**

"Are you in control now?"

"**Sort of. I made a deal with the fox. He's gonna help me get Hinata back. I couldn't focus my senses well enough, or so he said, so he's doing that for me so I can find her more quickly."**

"…What kind of deal?" Kakashi was serious when he spoke.

--

Deidara finally let out a breath, blowing his hair up slightly. The chick wasn't moving, so he guessed that she had either passed out or died. His explosions could do that to you. He smirked and stretched his limbs, making sure he would be able to move so he could get back to the base before they found him again.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice that the figure on the ground was missing.

--

Chiyo settled her Kazekage on the ground and got his body ready for the Jutsu she was going to use. She was pretty sure that only she knew it, but she wasn't going to teach anyone lest they use it for evil purposes. She started to quietly make hand seals while the Kakashi clones and Sasuke argued about what to do next.

--

Deidara ducked as quickly as he possibly could, sensing the chakra behind him a moment before the girl struck. Her hands were glowing again, and he figured that it wouldn't be a good idea to get hit when that happened. The blond swore and dropped to the ground with his whole body, kicking out to try and trip her. Her shadow appeared overhead and he rolled to the side, avoiding her kick by an inch. He struck out with his good palm, making her squeal when the tongue popped out and licked her leg.

--

Hinata couldn't believe her last second plan worked. She had a clone ready down below, ready to take her place if something happened. When the bird blew up, she switched before it could hurt her too badly. For some reason she had grabbed the Akatsuki member, and for the life of her she didn't know why.

"Die, idiot!" she screamed, charging a chidori in two seconds flat.

Hinata was pleased when his eyes widened and she caught him swearing up a storm. He managed to dodge, but he did get hit by a glowing hand. And once he couldn't move that three seconds, she had him. She used her sixty-four palms, integrating her style of fighting into it so that it hurt more. Deidara dropped like a dead body and she heard him cursing himself.

"Don't bother trying to get up, I-" Just as she was saying this, he was struggling to move.

"Shit shit shit!" Deidara screamed, failing to even pull himself forward. His arms and legs wouldn't move.

"Sixty-four palms Hinata style will do that to you" she said dryly before slamming her foot into his face.

--

Chiyo went unnoticed by everyone but Karin, who kept quiet. The young medic only offered her arm to aid her with more chakra.

--

Kakashi followed Naruto at the fastest pace he had ever gone. The blond was hot on the trail, and his nin-dogs weren't far behind. But the older ninja didn't focus on the speed – he was worried about Hinata. There were no bodies, or even blood, from the explosion. Had it been that bad?

Suddenly Naruto halted, making Kakashi slam into his back. He rubbed his now sore chest while Naruto scanned the area.

"…**Hinata-chan?"**

--

Hinata materialized from behind a tree, dirt covering her face, hands, and clothes. There was a blood stain on her arm, but otherwise she looked fine. Her hair was still in place because of her pony-tail, and her eyes were bright and cheery. In one hand she held someone's ankle, and the other was glowing green.

"..Sup, Naruto, Dad?"

--

Needless to say, they were both happy to find her. They couldn't stop asking if she was okay, but once she caught sight of Naruto's eyes she couldn't answer. He blushed and asked her what was wrong until she pointed to his eyes. He immediately covered them, but Hinata dropped the foot and pulled his hands away.

"They're pretty" was all she said.

Kakashi asked for a quick explanation of what happened and she obliged, quickly grabbing the body she had and hefting it onto her shoulder. Her hands glowed green again and she ignored their questions until she was done.

"I have to keep him knocked out somehow. How else are we going to interrogate him?"

Kakashi felt stupid for not thinking of that.

"Well….we have Gaara back. Let's go."

--

Sasuke noticed movement at the lip of the cave again and dropped into a light fighting stance, trying to look intimidating. He relaxed his pose again when he spotted bright blond hair. Kakashi's familiar silver came into view, and he craned his neck to see if Hinata was with them. His heart leapt when he spotted her, dragging the blond that had taunted them earlier.

--

Hinata finally dropped Deidara's ankle, propping him up against the cave entrance. She quickly produced some invisible wire and wrapped it tightly around his wrists and ankles, adding some to separate his fingers. She giggles and tightened everything so that if he tried to move he would start bleeding. She finished off the simple prison with another douse of chakra. His chakra was so advanced that she had to overload his system three times every ten minutes. Otherwise he would wake up, and he would know he was captured and might try to kill himself…

Hinata turned around in time to see a scene of chaos. Kakashi was facing off with another Akatsuki member, looking more girly than she did, and Naruto was holding Sasuke back. Sasuke's eyes were blood red and spinning, trying to irritate the man enough to fight. A clone of the blond was catching old woman Chiyo, who appeared to have died, while Karin was rushing over to the other red-head and holding out her arm. She was quickly relaying instructions to the awakening Kazekage.

"…Shit."

--

Sasuke's mind was pure fury as he faced off against his older brother. Itachi looked calm, using a hand to pull his hair back further against his head, making him look drop-dead sexy to any female that admired Uchihas. His hands were hidden in the wide sleeves of his cloak, but Sasuke knew that he was hiding a weapon. He just knew.

Naruto's low growl alerted him to something behind him, but he didn't dare turn in case Itachi was about to attack. He made a clone and switched with it, making Naruto roar and slash through the illusion, running at him. He backpedaled and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, halting him.

"Watch him for me" he spat, making a clone to help and then turning to see what was wrong.

Hinata and Karin were helping Gaara up, and Kakashi was still warily keeping tabs on the Akatsuki member. The jonin was trying to distract Itachi from his younger brother by mentioning the most random things.

"You're outnumbered. Not just by people, but by Sharingan too. I think that, together, Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata could take you on easily. Hey, does your cloak come in orange? I think our next Hokage should get one of those in orange. Maybe have his spiral on it. You think? Since you're a diva, I want you're opinion."

Kakashi's rambling made some of Sasuke's anger melt away. Kakashi was right; with so many people here, Itachi couldn't attack without risk of dying too quickly. He knew that he was going to kill the bastard, but when he really thought on it, he wasn't really all that ready yet. He had improved, but when he compared himself to that other Akatsuki guy he had almost lost. Plus, with his chakra depleted and exhaustion threatening to pull him under, he would be a fool to take on the stronger male.

Finally he allowed Naruto to drag him further back, letting his sensei handle this. Kakashi seemed capable enough, especially since he had a Sharingan. He smiled at Hinata before offering a helping hand to Gaara, who didn't seem to want to touch the two females' hands. The boy accepted it and he hauled the Kage up, surprised at how light he was.

--

Hinata blocked out Gaara's stated words, shrugging and answering his questions the best she could. Yes, he had died; yes, he was alive; no, she was not an angel; and so on. He seemed to be infatuated with her, but she wouldn't hear of it. She was Naruto's girl. But because she didn't want the red-head to be so let down right after he woke up, she didn't mention it.

--

Kakashi tensed when Itachi slowly turned to face Sasuke.

"You lack hatred" the words were the same, boring tone, merely pointing out a fact rather than asking a question.

--

Sasuke looked up from where he was and narrowed his eyes.

"No, brother, you lack hatred."

Even though the words felt stupid the moment they left his mouth, the look on Itachi's face was worth it.

The words after such a priceless face, however, were not.

"You are ready."

Itachi lunged forward and threw a handful of Shirukin at them, not expecting them to hit but hoping for a distraction. He aimed his gaze at Naruto for a second, but the next second passed and Itachi stood there. Sasuke didn't know what to do, so he pulled out a kunai and ran for his brother.

--

Itachi thought he knew hell.

But he had been wrong.

--

Before Sasuke could make it to the Akatsuki member, Itachi let out a scream. He froze, trying not to think of how odd it sounded. It chilled his blood, because even though he hated Itachi, it felt _wrong _to hear him in pain. He shivered and tried to continue forward, but Itachi surprised him once again by dropping to his knees, hands clasped together. His lips moved quickly, but Sasuke didn't hear anything.

--

Hinata had turned on her Byakugan and had been horrified to see what had happened. Itachi tried to use his Sharingan on the obviously strongest one here; Naruto. Normally, it would have worked, since Naruto's mindset was fragile and he was hopeless at Genjutsu. But what Itachi _didn't _know was that the blond had made a deal with the fox. And Hinata hadn't seen what went on, but she was how wildly both ninjas' chakra fluctuated. Naruto's purple-ish flood of chakra blazed red, like an inferno, while Itachi's more controlled coils seemed to burst. She could only describe it as invisible fire.

And it must have been painful and horrible, since Itachi had to be the most emotionless person she had ever seen. Orochimaru had taught her about him, and he said that Itachi was so good at controlling his outward emotions that you didn't know if he was mocking someone or talking to them seriously. So to hear his scream and feel his fear was just as bad as what had happened to him. If he lost all control when experiencing that…

--

The man on the ground writhed for a few more seconds, and then Itachi managed to make a single hand seal and disappear. Sasuke felt a little relieved.

--

Naruto just blinked, not really understanding what happened. The Kyuubi tried to explain, but he really didn't feel like it was appropriate to tell his host that his help had covered part of their bargain. _Help me when I can't react fast enough…Do it for me when one of my precious peoples' lives are in danger._ Since he had agreed, he took over and flooded the invading Uchiha's system with his chakra, which was potent to anyone unless they got used to it gradually or it was used as healing energy. In addition to that, he had spread a virus around the mans eyes that sped up the one already there, inflaming the area and making it bleed. But that wasn't all to the Kyuubi's plan. He had also thrown in making the Uchiha relive all the murders he had committed, most importantly the massacre. The Kyuubi wouldn't be beat by a foolish human; he was the Lord of Hell. Population: you.

--

The cave was still for a moment, silent save the crashing waterfall somewhere nearby. Then it was flooded with activity, ninjas bustling about to get things done. Naruto hadn't let his chakra cloak die yet, still needing the energy to help the others. Hinata was split between everyone, checking on Sasuke and Karin before a hurried exam on Gaara. He wasn't damaged too badly, but when she finished healing his burns Kakashi dragged her away from him.

Naruto was heaving Chiyo's body over his shoulder, intent on bringing her back to tell them what happened. Kakashi pulled him aside next, murmuring about respect for the dead and how to properly carry a dead body. Naruto was ashamed for a moment, but Kakashi downplayed it so that he didn't feel bad. Karin was putting herself between Gaara and Hinata, trying to explain that he couldn't pursue her romantically.

Sasuke was swaying on his feet, and Hinata helped steady him. He thanked her quietly and allowed himself to be transported on her back. Her arms cupped under his legs, holding him in place comfortably. He rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly. Kakashi looked pissed, but Hinata didn't know why. Naruto had agreed to let his sensei carry the elder so that he could talk with his friends.

Naruto came bounding over, a grin on his face. Gaara and Karin followed more slowly, and finally Kakashi. They started out, hoping to get back in time to get a room for a nap.

--

They successfully made it back to Suna with no interruptions. Naruto and Gaara had talked, with Hinata and Karin chatting about what their battles had been like. Gaara had finally moved on from Hinata's "angelic beauty" long enough to tease the blond about his Kage title. They were all surprised that he was so open with his feelings now.

Shikamaru met them with a wide-eyed look, which turned into a scowl when he saw that one was dead. He helped them settling the political aspect, since they were all dead on their feet, and then he ushered them to their rooms, which were free because of a one Kazekage.

And then Hinata showed him who they had captured.

--

After taking a hard earned nap, their team traveled back to Konoha. They didn't have as much trouble as they thought they would, but Kakashi suspected it was because of Gaara. The Kazekage kept glancing over at Naruto and Hinata, who were holding hands as they left. They had also managed not to let the council see Deidara, so they didn't demand custody of the criminal.

They finally got back three more days later, taking shifts carting the blond Akatsuki member. Hinata had to constantly use a medical technique to keep him out, but then Sasuke and Kakashi copied it so that she could have a break. She needed to sleep and eat too. They were also traveling the fastest they could, since they wanted to get Deidara in proper chains and drugged.

--

Tsunade paled when she saw the terrorist bomber. She hastily ordered ANBU to take over, but Hinata refused to let him go without a proper explanation. So in-between eating and teaching the medics which mind drug she used, she told the Hokage their story. Finally Tsunade was satisfied and had long since called for the people she needed. There were ten weapon specialist ANBU present, ready to take him down if he woke up. There were four medics, armed with fresh chakra and instructions on what to do when he woke up. And then there was Ibiki, who was going to be his interrogator.

Hinata left the room in a swirl of leaves, wanting to collapse on her bed and sleep forever.

--

The next two days were fairly simple. Hinata went on a few small dates with Naruto, which also boosted his self-confidence a little given his lifestyle. She also checked in on Sasuke, who had gone back to the hospital to finish his hours for the week. Shikamaru sometimes popped in to say hello, but he wasn't seen very often anyways, so she didn't mind. Kakashi hovered over her, seeming to believe that evil followed her everywhere. She appreciated the love, though, since she still hadn't really seen him all that much in the past few years.

And then, on the third morning, someone knocked on the Hatake household's door.

* * *

**I'm sooooooooooo sorry this took so long. I wanted to write this chapter for so long...you don't even know D: I couldn't get on the computer unless I was working on homework, since I got a shitload this and last week. It sucked so badly... so I wrote it down on paper. Bad idea. First of all, I'm very slow at typing something from paper to word. I'm a fairly quick typer otherwise, but when I have to type something up word for word from paper....well...... Needless to say, I shredded the sheets halfway through and just went from there. Then I realized that I shredded some of my notes on it, along with some various plot ideas. FAIL.**

**Anyways, hope you like this (short) chapter!!! I'll try to start on the next one soon ^^;;**


	25. Surprise! part one

"Hatake Hinata, at your service!" she answered the door with a smile at the young ninja standing there.

"H-hai. My name isn't important. The message I'm carrying is." He quickly handed her a sealed scroll, eyes cast down.

"Uh, thanks."

"Hai."

Hinata opened the scroll, leaning on the doorframe lightly. Her eyes went wide and she reread it over a few times.

"Is this legit?" she asked.

"H-hai, Lady Hatake."

"Just 'Hinata' is fine, thanks. Mkay. Thanks; see you!"

With that, the door was closed and only leaves swirled around the young messenger.

--

Hinata walked into the Hokage tower right on time, hands in pockets. She nodded to the secretary in front of her door and was allowed passage into the main room.

"Lady Tsunade" Hinata withdrew her hands and put them together, bowing low to signify respect.

"Get up, please." Tsunade murmured, gazing at the younger female with interest.

"What is it you need of me, Hokage-sama?"

"You remember that…ninja you defeated recently?" Tsunade spoke quietly.

"Hai."

"Good. Well, it seems he has… a request."

"I don't follow."

Tsunade sighed and stood up, walking around her desk and placing a hand on Hinata's shoulder.

"You're his last request."

Hinata didn't get it still. How could that…man… wish for her as his last request?

"B-but… I still don't see…"

"Hinata. We gave Deidara one last chance to tell us something useful, and he waited till the last minute, quite literally, in doing so. He made a deal with us, and I really hope you'll be able to help us carry it out."

"Ohhhh. What was this deal?"

"He gets to talk with you for a few hours; he tells us a few things. Hopefully he'll tell us everything."

"Will… will we be alone?"

"No. I already have twenty guards there, and I doubled it for your… meeting. He will be in a straightjacket and drugged. And chained."

Hinata nodded.

"Okay, I guess. Whatever I can do to help…" she muttered.

--

It didn't take long to get to the prison cell Deidara was in. Tsunade was allowed through instantly, and Hinata was dragged through with only slight resistance. After going through a network of tunnels and rooms, they finally ended up in front of a large room with a one-way mirror. Tsunade gave rapid instructions to one of the ANBU members standing guard and then stepped back to let Hinata through.

"Go ahead Hinata. I'll stay here just in case, and you won't even be close enough for him to touch you. And he's still drugged and chained."

The younger female nodded shyly and slipped in, closing the heavy door behind her quietly. She immediately noticed three ANBU hiding in the corners, some low-level Jutsu keeping them hidden. Deidara was sitting in a chair, his arms wrapped around his stomach and hugging his back. Hinata realized that he was in a straightjacket.

"Hello." She murmured quietly.

He lifted his head and gazed at her with unsteady eyes, hair pulled up behind his head. His original hairstyle was gone, replaced so that they could see his whole face. Bright blue eyes were dulled by exhaustion and there were half-healed bruises across his face. The machine that covered one of his eyes was missing, and it was odd to see him like this.

"You." His word was spoken unsteadily, like a toddler just starting to walk.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, fidgeting a little.

"You beat me." His words were slurred together still, and she had to walk a little closer to understand.

"That I did" Hinata confirmed, confused at why she was called here just to be told that.

"But you're a…girl. Too young to have gotten so….good." Deidara tried to talk faster, trying to make a point.

"I was raised by Hatake Kakashi and apprenticed under Orochimaru." It hurt a but to bring up the snake.

It took a little while for this to sink in. Then Deidara's eyes went wide and he started laughing. Hinata didn't say anything, letting him chuckle at her expense. In a short time, his laugh turned into a cough. He couldn't stop and no one came in or went forward to help him. It made Hinata uncomfortable, seeing him struggle for breath. She strode forward and held her hand to his chest, sending her chakra to his lungs to assess the damage. Two ANBU were instantly next to her, pulling her back roughly.

But Hinata shook them off, glaring and walking towards him again. His body was more abused than it was after her fight with him. Half his ribs were broken, his throat was dry, and there was some internal bleeding.

"You are not permitted to touch the prisoner" came the warning of one of the ninjas behind her.

"So?" she shot back, hands outstretched to heal the blond.

Again the pair grabbed her and dragged her back. She struggled, trying to contain her anger at them.

"He'll die if you keep this up! He needs to be healed!" Hinata shouted, trying to break free from the iron grip on her wrists.

There was a knock on the window-thing and Hinata glanced back. She only saw her reflection, but obviously there was some signal, because they dragged her out and set her in front of the Hokage.

"What is going on?" Tsunade demanded, trying to figure out who to glare at.

"He'll die if you don't heal him soon, you should know that, Hokage-sama" Hinata spat, confused at herself for caring this much for a criminal.

"We keep him alive enough to get information" she responded.

"Alive enough? Do you hear his cough? That might be why he won't tell you anything. He can't!"

Tsunade opened her mouth to snap back, but closed it when Hinata glared at her.

"Let me see him." She spoke with authority, not even waiting for the guards to open the door for her.

Hinata watched as the female Hokage examined the man quickly, and then glance back to the mirror. Somehow her eyes met Hinata's and she realized that the Hokage didn't think he was this beat up. Some of the ANBU must have been doing this to work off access anger.

"Now do you see what I'm saying?" Hinata asked when Tsunade was standing in front of her again.

Tsunade nodded and Hinata's arms were released.

"Yes. I'll get someone to take care of that. Thank you for noticing; he might have died and we would lose our advantage. I can't believe my ANBU would do that…"

"Am I done here, or do I still need to stay here longer?"

"I don't think he was done talking, Hinata. Sorry."

She shrugged and went back into the room. Deidara was staring at her oddly, and she shifted from foot to foot uneasily.

"Why did you do that?" his words sounded a little clearer, as if seeing that small act of kindness made the drugs wear off.

"We would have wasted a lot of time if you died." Hinata said slowly. "And I can't stand seeing people in pain, even if they did something horrible."

"That's how come you survived Orochimaru…" the blond mused.

Hinata nodded, uncomfortable about talking about the man.

"What did you want from me? I would like to try and get this over with…" the blue-eyed blond reminded her of Naruto, and it was a weird feeling.

"I was curious, un."

"About…?"

"The person who defeated me. I want to know about you."

"How much about me?"

"Anything you can tell me in an hour, un." Hinata sighed; his added word was finally back.

"Um. Okay."

And so she started telling him about her life and how she got strong.

--

The hour went surprisingly quickly. About halfway through two medics came in and healed Deidara as fast as they could. One gave did his lungs and held up water while he blond drank. The other worked on his face and internal bleeding. They left silently, and Hinata didn't pause in her explanation. He actually seemed to be listening, and it felt good to be able to say anything to him without being judged. He nodded occasionally, not interrupting her speech.

"Hinata?" Tsunade poked her head in.

"Oh, yes?"

"Hours up. You are free to go now."

Hinata's eyes slid back to Deidara and was surprised to find he looked disappointed.

"May I stay a little longer, Hokage-sama?"

Tsunade gazed at her with confusion but nodded.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt. Not too much more time though, we still need to get a story out of him."

Hinata nodded and turned back to Deidara as the door shut. She went on with her story, ignoring the surprise on his face.

--

Eventually, which ended up being three more hours, Hinata had to leave. She had to admit, for an S-class criminal, he wasn't that bad. Of course, that was when he was on drugs and lock and key. She did, however, sympathize with him on one thing. Konoha wasn't what it seemed to be.

--

Before the Hatake left the prison cell to go home, she turned and looked Deidara in the eyes and gently mocked, "Art is a blast, un."

--

Naruto and Sasuke were waiting for her when she got home. They both found out, through Shikamaru, that Hinata was requested from the Akatsuki bomber. She opened the door to find the blond sucking down ramen, with Sasuke at the other end of the table. His expression was priceless, and before they noticed her standing there she snapped a picture.

"You're back!" Sasuke looked relieved, not noticing when she slipped the small camera back into her pocket.

"Hey you guys; what's going on?"

"You have delicious ramen, Hinata-chan! Where did you get it?" Naruto glanced up eagerly.

"Dobe." Sasuke rolled his eyes at his best friend before answering Hinata. "We heard that you talked to _that guy._ Is it true?"

"Uh, Naruto's question first. I made it," she had spent days learning how to make the best possible ramen just for him, "and yes it is true." She confirmed.

Kakashi appeared out of nowhere. "Aha! Pay up, Sasuke!"

Hinata blinked, confused, as the Uchiha slapped some money into her fathers hand. Then it got serious again.

"What happened and why the hell were you there?"

"I dunno. Apparently, according to Tsunade, Deidara asked to talk to me."

"Do you know why?"

"Well, he asked me about my family and how I was raised and trained."

"And you made something up, correct?" Kakashi pressed.

"Nope. I told him the truth."

"Whatever for?!?"

"No one trusts him! He doesn't know who to trust, either. Besides, he's scheduled to be executed soon. He's probably telling them everything he knows right now. At least, that's what the deal said."

"…Hinata…"

"…Yes?"

"…Never mind."

--

The rest of the day was boring. Hinata felt better about herself – being able to spill your guts in front of someone willing to listen and not judge really boosted self confidence. She wanted to do something that night, though, so she picked up a few simple, in-village missions. It didn't take her long, and it got her back into the habit of working. The extra cash helped, too.

--

Sasuke yawned and opened his door, rubbing his right eye carefully. A quick glance at the clock before he got out of bed showed that it was past midnight. His eyes adjusted and he stood up straighter, full attention on the female at his doorstep.

"Hey Sasuke…do you drink?"

--

He didn't. But he agreed to go to the bar with Hinata, who looked a little depressed. He hoped he could help her, since her smile kept him from strangling Naruto on missions. She seemed to know where she was going, and eventually pulled him into a low-key bar. It was poorly lit, but it was warm and there weren't many people. There were two suspicious looking males in the corner, but Sasuke dismissed the petty threat and turned to see Hinata chugging down a bottle of sake.

"Are you okay?" he managed, pulling the bottle away from her.

"Yeah. Jus' need someone to make sure I get home jus' fine." Her slur was already present.

"Hinata…"

"I'll be fine, Uchiha. Stop worryin' about me. Some other girl needs your attention." She stole the bottle back and held it with both hands, eyeing him warily.

Coal eyes blinked and a small blush appeared on his face. "You- what do you mean?"

She sucked down some more sake and grinned at him. He felt his heart flutter and his cheeks heated a little more. He turned away and looked around the bar once more. The two in the corner were getting a little louder with each sip of beer.

"I've seen the looks you've given me. Don't lie and tell me that you hate me now, Sasuke." Hinata gestured for another drink.

Said male shrugged. "Then I have nothing to say."

"I knew it. Sasuke, I'm not the one for you. Trust me. I know you think I was the one to bring you out of the darkness, but it wasn't just me."

"Who else, then?" he murmured, turning to face her seriously.

"Look around, dobe. Believe it!" She imitated her boyfriend and got up, sauntering over to the back table.

Sasuke watched as she slammed three large beers onto the table, boasting she could out-drink them both. His mind fought to process what she was saying. Naruto had been there with her, did they… _both _help? It finally clicked and he stood up, making his way to her just as the three started drinking. They three were doing shots now, and they kept doing one for one until one of them had to stop.

It was just Hinata and the other dude, and Sasuke wondered how she had gotten started drinking. He also wondered how she could be winning. They had gotten to twenty-one before the other male had to withdraw his claim to drink her under the table. He tossed her something and she caught it easily, making the raven wonder if she was really drinking.

"What is it, Hinata?" he questioned, looking at the item questioningly.

"This guy's sister runs a spa…" she murmured, fingering the silver key happily. "And I just won a week's worth of free treatments."

"… I see." He pulled her by the arm, dragging her to a corner booth. She rested her head against the soft cushions, smiling at him.

"What was that about? You could kill yourself doing that!" he hissed at her, keeping his voice low.

"I woulda been fine, I'm still peachy!" she giggled. "I wanted something and I got it."

"Well, not everyone can get what they want. Don't ever do this again, and I don't want to catch you drinking again. Ever. It messes you up, Hinata."

"You don't mean that, Sasuke-kun." She slid closer to the male and he blinked, confused.

"Yes I do." He deadpanned.

Hinata grinned and pulled his head down to hers, pressing her lips roughly against his. She threaded her fingers through his dark locks and kept his head where it was. He was shocked enough not to do anything until she pulled away. He touched his lips, confused.

"But… you… Naruto…" he couldn't find the right words.

She pouted. "I like Naruto, but you're cute too! I can't resist a friend that's been chasing me! I know what it's like to not have the person you love not love you back. Why should I be forced to pick just one of you?"

Sasuke stared at her. She was mental. Drinking made her either a manipulative bitch, or she had major problems. Something didn't add up.

"You've been drinking a lot, Hinata. It's time to go home. You'll feel better when you're sober." He choked out, backing away from her lips.

She let out a loud sigh and slipped out of the booth, waiting for him to bring her home. Dizzy, she toppled to the floor.

"Wheeee!" she laughed and waved her arms and legs. "I'm flyin'!"

Sasuke shook his head and picked her up, supporting her the best he could. She took the opportunity to kiss him again. It was less pleasant than the other one, probably because her breath reeked of alcohol. Halfway to her house, he realized that Kakashi was going to kill him.

To say Kakashi was mad was… actually, it was dead wrong. He wasn't mad at Sasuke at all, but he instead thanked him profusely for bringing her home. Sasuke was mystified, and it was only solved when Kakashi revealed that he had been worried about her but didn't know what to do or where to look. Sasuke was allowed to help her to her room, and he was nervous because he wanted Kakashi to think well of him.

She kissed him one more time before running for the bathroom, looking quite sober indeed. Her eyes were wide and he could tell they were more focused. Her steps were lighter again and not the lumbering gait she had when she was drunk. He touched his lips again and turned to see Kakashi standing there, eye expressionless. Sasuke gulped.

"Sas…uke…" Kakashi growled.

"Just let me explain!" the raven held his hands in front of his face, cowering before his sensei.

He heard Kakashi move advance towards him, but then he was past him and still moving. Sasuke didn't move for fear he would turn back and get him. Sure, he could defend himself, but…not when he was angry. A door behind him opened and then closed a moment later, the faint sound of retching reaching his ears. He took this as his cue to get the hell out. If Kakashi forgot about being mad because she was throwing up, so be it.

--

It had been a weird day, and no one mentioned it the next. It was like everything was back in place, and their roles were the same as a few days ago, not the previous one. Like it never happened.

But Sasuke didn't forget, oh no. He was still thinking of what happened, trying to explain it. Nothing made sense, but all during the day he thought. He made sure to pay attention to healing patients, of course, but his body moved on auto-pilot. About halfway through the day, Hinata and Naruto showed up, inviting him to lunch. He accepted cautiously.

The restaurant was a quaint little shop, with coffee and breakfast as the main items on the menu. Hinata just ordered a cup of tea, but the boys got way more. Naruto ordered two large bowls of miso ramen and a side of dango. He kept trying to figure out what else would be good. Sasuke got a few random things; a salad with extra tomatoes, a small cut of meat, and an onion soup.

"So Sasuke, how's work? It fun working in the hospital?" Hinata questioned politely.

"I guess. I don't enjoy catering to egotistical people who think they deserve free attention."

"Do you get many patients?"

He didn't even have to think on this question. "Yes."

"I see." She sipped her tea.

"Haha! I bet fangirls request him!" Naruto laughed, slurping his ramen.

"…Yeah." Sasuke deadpanned.

"….HAHA!" Naruto had to put his chopsticks down to laugh harder at the raven.

"Stop it, Naruto. It must be difficult and annoying…" Hinata murmured, lightly smacking the blonds arm.

"Sorry." He muttered, blushing softly.

Hinata grinned widely at him. "It's alright." She didn't mean to, but she leaned over in her seat to kiss him.

He responded eagerly, kissing back and putting his hands on her head, bringing her closer. Sasuke coughed after a little while, the scene too awkward for his tastes.

"Gomen" Hinata blushed at her other friend. Naruto didn't look sorry at all.

"I'll be right back, guys. Need to take- uhh I mean use the restroom." Naruto caught himself and got up from the table, smiling at the proud look Hinata gave him.

Sasuke thought it would be awkward. He was right.

"I'm sorry about last night." Hinata spoke bluntly, right after Naruto slammed the door of the bathroom shut.

Sasuke shifted around in his seat a little. He didn't really know what to say, so he stayed silent.

"I know that it'll be awkward around me. But only because you're going to make it like that…"

"…"

"I can make it much more awkward for you." She winked.

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know how."

Instead of making a witty comeback, she just kissed him again. Really though, he had wanted that to happen. He hoped it would, anyway. He wasn't surprised, so he kissed back gently. She seemed excited and pushed against his lips a little harder, scrapping her chair closer to his. His fingers twined through her long hair and got stuck. She let out a tiny moan and he kissed her harder.

And then it was over, with Hinata sitting properly in her seat, closer to Naruto's seat but still in-between the two rivals' chairs. Sasuke was panting hard, but Hinata wasn't breathing hard at all. She was smirking at him, an oddly devious look on her face. Her hair was smoothed out with long fingers, a makeshift comb that worked perfectly.

Naruto appeared back at the table before Sasuke realized he was still staring at Hinata. The blond looked between them, confused, but shrugged and started attacking his food again. He didn't make a comment and Hinata didn't offer an explanation.

It was silent the rest of lunch.

--

Naruto left first, claiming he had to go visit Tsunade (he did). It got a little awkward again, because Sasuke didn't know if Hina was going to attack him with her lips again. He kinda hoped so, but he felt it would be betraying Naruto.

"Sasuke, relax. I'm not going to kiss you again. I just want to talk right now."

"…Okay."

"…You know I can't be forced to pick between you too. I love Naruto, he's my world, but he can be…thick-headed."

Sasuke snorted. "Mm."

"I just want you to be happy" she said softly.

"I am happy. You make Naruto happy. Why shouldn't I be happy?"

She gave him an odd look. "You kissed back. You're jealous."

"…Look, it would hurt Naruto if I took you from him."

"Then I'll have you both."

"And whom will you marry? Him or me?" Sasuke prompted.

Hinata shifted uncomfortably. "Which ever one asks me when he knows he truly loves me."

"Naruto already does."

"He has issues too. He doesn't trust anyone fully, even though he tries to."

"Bullshit. He loves you and you know it."

Hinata slammed him against a wall, pushing her mouth to his. She angled her knee between his thighs and pushed gently, using a hand to play with his hair. His eyes shut tightly and a low moan escaped his lips. She pressed harder, more insistent, and he opened his eyes wide and tilted his head back. She smirked and sucked on his collarbone, nipping lightly.

Then he pushed her away, breathing ragged. He felt his blood rush south all at once and fought to get it elsewhere. It didn't work.

"Tell me…" she panted. "You didn't enjoy that. Look me in the eyes and tell me you weren't turned on by that. Tell me you don't want me."

Sasuke couldn't do it. He felt ashamed, but there wasn't any denying it. It showed in his body, and how he couldn't lie to her. Because it was entirely true. Everything about her turned him on; her body, her mind, her lips, her swaying hips, her long hair that was so soft and fluffy, those pale white eyes. Everything.

--

Hinata met up with Naruto later. She grinned at him and explained what happened while he ate some of her ramen. Tsunade had made him work like crazy in her office, and it made him hungry.

"So… You kissed Sasuke?"

"Mhmm. Again. He doesn't seem to want to even try. He thinks it'll hurt you."

"Hinata, it's perfectly logical. He's my best friend, and I'm his. We don't usually share things. It's against our code."

"Well, this code is meant to be broken. There's enough of me to go around."

"I know, Hinata-chan. It's alright though, since it's his choice. Eventually I'll tell him that I don't mind sharing. I'd rather not, but I know that you still love me."

She nodded and wrapped her arms around him. "Mhmm. I loved you first, and now that I've got you I'm not losing you." She murmured. "Not again."

--

Hinata and Naruto got up early the next morning. They wanted to be ready for what was going to be happening later that day.

"Hurry up, Naruto! The stores open in a few minutes! I wanna be the first ones there!"

"Fine, fine! Sorry! Just needed to find my money…"

"We'll use mine its fine you can pay me back later!"

With that said, they left at four in the morning to get Sasuke a birthday present.

--

Hinata looked in the clothing section, distracted by the new selection of clothes. She found some awesome casual clothes and made sure to grab a few for when she was off missions or had a day off. She liked the light purple t-shirt with a white dragon curled up on it.

Meanwhile, Naruto was in the toys section of the general store. He was trying to figure out which gag-gift to get his best friend. It was difficult to decide between the flying duck hat and the rainbow hat. Of course, the Sasuke action figure was good too….

Hinata finally found the cutest thing and immediately bought it, grinning from ear to ear. She paid and held the toy close to her, snuggling it. It was too cute to resist! She looked at it again and giggled. Sasuke might not like it, but that was probably why she got it for him. Gag-gifts were the best right now because then the actual present would be even better. She carefully put the stuffed animal duck in her bag and went to look for Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, did you find something yet?" she called lightly.

"Yeah! It's perfect!"

"Good. Buy it and let's go. We still need to get everything else done!" She handed him some ryu notes and gazed wistfully at the beautiful kimonos in the corner. She wanted one so badly, but it would be blowing all her money.

"Go it! Let's go!"

"Right!"

--

The two spent a good chunk of time at Naruto's apartment cleaning up. Naruto made a list of things they needed to do and then made a dozen clones to start working on it. Hinata wrapped her gift in a box of appropriate size, and then helped the blond wrap his silly gift a few times over. The small item eventually looked like a very large one. Laughing, they went to work on the rest of their plans.

--

At noon, Kakashi showed up with Shikamaru. They took over decorating while the other two took a break for lunch. After a quick snack of ramen and rice, they began to work again. Hinata took over the job of writing invitations to specific people and cooking. She ended up making a few shadow clones too. She worked hard on the cake but set out snack foods on a table. It was good that Naruto didn't have much in his apartment, because it meant they had tons of space to set things up.

Finally they finished and took a few seconds to check their work. There were light blue streamers in an odd way, but when you looked while laying on the floor it was the Uchiha symbol. There were balloons floating around, filled with air and helium so that they didn't hit the ceiling or get popped on the ground. It was clean and the room smelled nice, like apple pie and ramen. The cake was in the center of the food table, in the shape of Sasuke's head.

There was a smaller table next to the food table, with a few small presents on top. Naruto's was under that table, waiting to be opened last. Or first. The rest of the food table had bowls filled with popular snack foods, and there was a large container filled with lemonade. There was a smaller one filled with tea, and an even smaller, more hidden one filled with sake.

The rugs had been vacuumed, cleaned, and vacuumed again. Walls were patched up and repainted. The bathroom was also scrubbed clean, and there was a large sign on the door so that it could be found easily. Naruto was the most excited, still bouncing around the rooms, examining if they forgot anything. Probably because his space had been fixed up for free.

"Finally." Shikamaru sighed, flopping down on the couch.

"We're actually not done yet" Hinata spoke up, looking sheepish. "We still need to invite people. And not let Sasuke or his… stalkers know."

"For the love of…have Naruto do it, Hinata. I want to take a nap" Shikamaru groaned, holding a pillow over his head.

Kakashi shook his head, grinning under his mask, and took the invitations from Hinata.

"I'll do it, Hina-chan. Naruto'll end up telling everyone. You get some rest. They'll be here in… four hours."

She yawned and nodded, dragging Naruto away from the food. He began to protest but ended up shutting his mouth when she threatened to punch him quiet. The two fell onto the bed and fell asleep, much like the lazy ninja on the couch.

--

Kakashi found the people without much trouble. He made sure, casually, that Sasuke wasn't going to be doing anything later. He didn't even need to find Sasuke for that, because he just checked with the receptionist at the hospital.

"Hello, yes, I'm here for my checkup…Yes, Sasuke is my doctor….yes, I'll wait. Thank you." He turned to see where she pointed and saw almost three dozen girls (and half as many guys) also waiting for Sasuke.

Kakashi held back a giggle and left, knowing that the kid wouldn't be going anywhere for awhile. That meant that he couldn't even get a chance to find out about the party.

He left through the bathroom window, off to the store to find the Uchiha a present.

--

Finally the party was ready. The sun was going down, people were ready to party, and Sasuke didn't have a clue. Since it _was_ a surprise to the birthday boy, everyone had to find hiding places. Of course, the hardest thing to do was hide from a ninja, so Hinata was sent to get him. She wore normal clothes to make sure he would be more relaxed.

"Hey, Sasuke. Walk with me to Naruto's house?" she offered. "We can pick him up for surprise ramen and then go do something." By making it look like they were going to be the ones surprising.

"Uh, sure. Just… I actually need some help with something else…" she tilted her head, trying to look inside his door. He was right in the way.

"Do you have… a mountain in there?" she questioned him.

"Uh… fangirls. They got me…gifts, for some odd reason."

"Oh I see. Well, were you going to burn them or something?"

"Nah, I did that last year."

"…Huh?"

"Never mind. You mentioned Naruto?"

--

It was easy to keep him preoccupied on the walk over. They talked about normal things for once.

"So his guts just… exploded?"

"Yeah. He was a walking time bomb, and it was a mess. See, he had…"

This went on the entire way over, and Hinata couldn't keep the smile off her face. But neither could Sasuke.

--

"SURPRISE!!!"

"HOLY SHI-" Sasuke jumped and attached himself to the ceiling with a hand and a foot.

The entire room laughed, amused by his reaction. Hinata really did a good job with calming him down enough to hide themselves well enough. Surprising a well-seasoned ninja was tough, but they had somehow done it.

"Happy Birthday, Sasuke" Shikamaru drawled, leaning on his shoulder.

"Uh, thanks…" Shikamaru was shaken off, and he ambled away, sipping from a bottle that looked suspiciously like Hinata's secret stash.

"When did you find out..?" Sasuke turned to Hinata and Naruto, who were holding hands and grinning at him.

"One word: fangirls."

"Fuck."

"No thanks." Naruto laughed, and he dropped his girlfriends hand to grab something to eat.

"So, you will be happy and just party for a bit, have cake, enjoy some sake, and get presents. From only your closest friends, of course."

"Who is here, anyway?" he murmured, looking around. People were dancing and mingling, listening to the music. It sounded like rave, or maybe techno. He liked it.

"Well, there's me, Shikamaru, Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, Shizune, Iruka, some girl Shika brought, a bunch of people Naruto knows, uhhh… let's see." Hinata reeled off some more names. "Tenten, Neji, Choji, Karin…" Hinata shrugged. "Some people got invited along with the ones I asked to get here. There aren't any fangirls, though. I checked."

The raven finally smiled and relaxed a little more. "Okay. Cool."

--

The cutting of the cake was difficult. It looked so good that no one wanted to cut it. But then someone mentioned it was better than cutting the actual one, so it was done much easier. It tasted great, and Sasuke was made to blow out the candles and make a wish. It was a little embarrassing, but fun nonetheless. Pictures were taken, cameras passed around, and memories made.

--

Over half of the guests left before presents. Naruto insisted that it be close friends only. The Hokage left after being bribed with more sake, and Hinata reluctantly gave her one of the best bottles she had. Then it was quiet.

"So…"

"Gifts! Open them now!" Naruto cried, tossing himself onto the couch, trying to squeeze between Kakashi and Shikamaru.

Naruto was kicked off and he spread himself on the floor, leaning against the couch. Shikamaru, yawning, kicked him just to get some leg space. Kakashi grinned and moved aside for Hinata to sit on the couch. She shook her head and started moving the packages over for the birthday boy.

"Mine first! Mine first!" Naruto laughed.

"Actually, Naruto, mine is going first." Kakashi piped up. "Because I need to go on a mission tomorrow, and I need sleep. Sorry, Sasuke."

"Perfectly fine. I want to get this over with too…"

Hinata handed him a small bag and he pulled out what seemed like hundreds of tissue paper pieces. He finally gave up opening it nicely and ripped it apart, blushing like a little kid. He hoped it wasn't what he thought it was…

"…What?" he was quite confused.

"…It's a t-shirt, Sasuke. Sheesh." Kakashi rolled his eye, almost laughing. He had gotten the kid a perverted book, but it was so good that he needed it for himself. So he went with the generic – clothes.

"…Right. Thanks."

Hinata passed the male another one and he opened it a little more slowly, wondering who it was from to try and figure it out.

"From me" Shika yawned. He didn't sound (or look) sober at all. The clingy girl was nowhere in sight, though.

"…I see. Thanks." He actually meant it, since it was useful. It was a cool design, really. The black padded sword popped open to reveal that it was really an umbrella. It could, in theory, double as a weapon.

"Mhmm."

"Mine now?" Naruto begged, sitting up quickly.

"Not yet, Naru-kun" Hinata scolded, almost grinning too quickly after her words.

"Fine…"

"Best for last" Sasuke quoted, then immediately looked away. The grin on Naruto's face made Hinata look away as well. It was… uncomfortable.

"Right. Here's mine." Hinata handed him a box and he opened it delicately, taking his time. Naruto bounced around, excitement building with the tension.

"Isn't it cute?!" Hinata squealed, slightly drunk and adoring cute animals. The stuffed duck stared at Sasuke, fake fur and body seeming to mock him.

"Uh, yeah, Hinata, yeah…" He looked around awkwardly, then put it on top of the small pile of his things.

"Mine now! Yay!" the blond jumped up and dragged the large box over to Sasuke.

"…What."

--

Needless to say, it was amusing. He had to get through six or seven layers, and a lot of boxes were dead ends and he had to get the other small box that was inside the main one. Each one led to something random; all of the boxes had a silly saying on a slip of paper.

'Happy Birthday, teme!', 'Nope! Wrong one!', and 'Can't find me!' were just some of the ones Sasuke pulled out of the boxes.

Funny, though, it was the last one he opened. He sighed and pulled the ribbon off of it. He tore the paper from the shell and stripped the tape off easily. He opened the box…

And something attached itself to his face.

* * *

**So uh. I really don't have an excuse for taking 59 days to post this. I really am sorry.**

**So I'm going to work extra hard on the plot and random funny things!**

**Also, I apoligize for the twist on the relationship thing. I will explain it more/better later. I don't know why I write what I write. It just...happens. Oh well.**

**Also enjoy some Deidara love! He's so cute. And drugged! (and on death row, uh oh!)**

**THERE IS ALSO ONE MORE THING.**

**One of my friends is writing a WICKED awesome fic. here on , and I REALLY want you to read it. I'm not even kidding, if you think my crap is good, then you'll go CRAZY for her stuff. Her username is:** FireOkami-Kitsune.

**It won't even take that long to look her up. The more reviews/hits she gets, the faster I bring you more story!**

**PEACE OUT.**


	26. Surprise! part two Hina lovin'

**So obviously I've been gone too long.**

**And I need more action.**

**But I wanted to finish up the filler before we got to the harsher fights.**

**So, enjoy this 'lemony-scented' chapter until I can get on my butt and finish writing some more epic fights.**

**PS the reason this AN is at the beginning is to warn you about the middle-ish beginning. THERE'S A THREESOME in here. You can read it (please do), but if you don't want to or dislike NaruxHinaxSasuke then you can skip it. Just knowing that these three are in a relationship together is enough to get you through the plot. Another ps thing; Hinata will make a _fantastic_ mother.**

* * *

Sasuke almost let out a scream, but he decided it would be too girly. So he just fell back against the floor and tried to rip it off his face.

"What the fuck is this?!" he tried to yell. It came out like 'wah da fu i dis??'

Hinata and Naruto were on the ground, laughing their heads off. Sasuke looked so funny just laying there.

"I-it's a-a- oh man teme!" Naruto choked out between breaths.

Hinata got her breath back after a few more minutes. "It's a… a silver-lining doll."

Shikamaru, who had to leave in a moment, took pity on him. He got up and helped the Uchiha pull the thing from his face.

"Thanks." Sasuke muttered, glaring at the doll that was previously attached to his face.

"Troublesome." He yawned, making his way out the door. "Thanks for inviting me, guys. It was…fun."

Kakashi nodded and got up as well. "Sorry to leave on you, but… the mission…" he sincerely looked sorry to miss the rest of this.

"It's fine" Sasuke said hastily. "You don't have to even remember any of this."

"Oh don't worry, I won't forget." Sasuke groaned. "I got it on camera."

"I hate you" Sasuke murmured as Hinata's father left.

"Well, guess it's just us now" Naruto said cheerfully.

"So what is this thing anyways?"

"A silver-lining doll." Hinata repeated. "It's like having another Naruto, just smaller. It'll follow you around, too."

The doll finally said something. _"Sasuke-kun!"_

"Oh, hell no." Sasuke glared down at it some more.

The two other ninja just giggled.

"_Hugs?"_ the high-pitched voice tried.

"No."

"_Please?"_ it made puppy eyes at him.

"No."

"_You're still the greatest, Sasuke-kun!"_

"Did a fangirl make this?" he asked, trying to take his mind off destroying it.

"Not sure. But guess what, Sasuke!" Naruto grinned at him.

"What, dobe?" Sasuke sounded positively exhausted.

"We still have one more gift, from the both of us."

"Uh, is it anything like _this _thing?"

"Nope!"

"Alright then, I guess."

--

It took them a few minutes to get to the hot springs. Hinata had the key, and she unlocked it for them. It was silent, because even the owner had left to go home and sleep. The trio crept inside and found the door to the actual water. Sasuke grabbed a towel when he saw them, and took note that the other two didn't.

"Okay, you two have fun" Hinata murmured before slipping into the girl's only water.

Sasuke looked at Naruto awkwardly, then turned and stripped, slipping the towel on before Naruto saw him. The blond was doing the same thing, but he was already lowering himself into the water. There were barriers everywhere, dividing each little pool of water. Sasuke noticed that the blond picked the general bath.

"What's the point of this?"

"To relax" Naruto drawled.

Sasuke sighed and stepped slowly into the water, discarding the towel around his waist after he was properly under the water. He sighed and closed his eyes, resting his back against the edge of the pool.

On the other side, Hinata watched through a hole in the wood. She grinned and went around to their side, making no noise on the padded floor. Naruto saw her but Sasuke was still blissfully unaware.

"Guess who" she put her hands over Sasuke's eyes, grinning at Naruto.

"Ah! Uh, oh, Hinata." When he opened his eyes, she was in the water, only her head visible. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"You're so shy, Sasuke" she giggled. "Besides, it wouldn't be as fun if I was alone."

"Ah, okay?" Sasuke looked lost.

"You'll find out soon enough" Hinata murmured, pressing her lips to Naruto's.

The blond pulled her closer to him, pulling her up out of the water a bit. Sasuke blushed and sank deeper under the water, unable to tear his eyes away. Hinata let out a little moan and his gaze shot to Naruto's hands. Both were underwater.

"Y-you guys?" he stammered. He had never been in this sort of situation before, and it was making him uncomfortable.

"Oh, sorry Sasuke-kun" Hinata drawled, pulling away from Naruto and latching on to him. He didn't notice that they had scooted closer to him…

"Sorry for what?" he couldn't take his eyes from hers. They seemed to stare right into his soul.

"Not letting you have some" she shrugged, bringing her chest out of the water.

His blush got even brighter, and she took advantage of his weakness. She leaned down and kissed him, straddling his lap. She brought his hands up to her breasts and then lowered her hands to his lap.

"Hinataaaaa" Naruto whined.

"Mmmm one second, Naru-kun" she murmured, stroking Sasuke to attention.

"Fine." Naruto pouted and then moved himself, positioning his body behind Hinata's.

The blond started by rubbing her back with his hands, but eventually got to pushing his whole body against hers. Sasuke could hear some faint moans coming from his mouth, and that and what Hinata's hands were doing couldn't hold back his own noises.

The moment they heard him moan, they really got started. Hinata turned around and bent over, and Sasuke felt lust take over. He pushed his face into her cunt, using his tongue to fill her up. Not too long after, he felt his face being jammed further into her, and he glanced up to see Naruto pumping in and out of her mouth. Hinata was moaning around him.

Eventually he needed to breathe, so he pulled away and pushed his fingers in so she wouldn't feel neglected. Naruto was using one hand to knead a breast, and Sasuke managed to get the other one. Naruto pulled out of her mouth and kissed her, taking over her entire chest. Sasuke focused on her cunt, adding more and more fingers. He was careful when he added his thumb, but she just pushed back harder and begged for him to go deeper.

Sasuke shoved hard and felt himself slide in up to his wrist. Hinata let out a loud moan and clenched around him. He felt her soak what was inside and she slumped against the blond, who was holding her up gently. Sasuke grinned and kept her orgasm going by flexing his hand. She let out another moan and jerked up in their grip before settling down again.

"Oh Kami" she whispered.

"Are you okay with continuing?" Naruto asked softly, resting his hand on her cheek.

"Y-yes. Just give me a moment."

Sasuke didn't know what to do now, since he couldn't move with her impaled on his arm. He didn't want to make her cum again, since she just asked for a minute of recovery. He didn't even know how far they were going to go.

"R-right." Hinata said, her voice a little stronger. "Who's first?"

Sasuke wanted to speak up, but he figured that the blond should go first. He didn't even know what to do, and he needed an example. He knew how to have sex, yes, but he didn't actually _know._

"I will." Naruto smiled at her, lifting her body up a little more.

Sasuke helped lower his half of the girl, keeping his arm with her. He didn't want to do anything for fear of hurting her.

"Ah, oh…." Hinata moaned. She had forgotten that the Uchiha's hand was inside of her.

"Are you okay?" the two boys asked in unison.

"F-fine. Sasuke, you can pull out. Not too hard" she murmured.

The raven did what was asked, slowly withdrawing.

_Sex doesn't go as quickly as they say…. _He thought, finally getting her off him.

He pulled his hand up and looked at it. He blushed and closed his eyes. Naruto and Hinata were giggling at him.

"It's not going to hurt you, Sasuke-kun" Hinata said softly.

"What… what do I do with it?" he sounded like a little kid, and he hated himself for it.

Neither answered, but he felt a warm mouth engulfing two fingers. He opened his eyes to find Hinata sucking on them, eyes wide. She pulled back after a moment, running her tongue around her mouth.

"Oh Kami, Hinata." She was so sexy it hurt.

She kissed him, using her tongue to let him taste. She was salty, but… there was something else there. Something that made her taste like… Hinata. He kissed her deeper, distracting her from what was coming next. Naruto was behind her, ready to push in. He was all lubed up from the water, and he was hard. Sasuke grabbed one of her boobs and clenched softly, drawing more noises from her mouth.

Naruto went in slowly, making sure that she was adjusting to his size. Sasuke pushed his mouth harder against Hinata's, feeling rather then hearing her moans. When the blond was all the way in, he rested against her a little while. Hinata appreciated this display, not yet used to these feelings. Sasuke eased up on the kissing, leaning back to watch them.

Sasuke leaned back against the rocks a moment before going back to Hinata. It was nice to feel another warm body against his, and the rocks were cold. The moment he had fit himself to her, Naruto pulled back until he was just inside of her. He pushed forward in one thrust, and she was pushed forward a little, screaming in pleasure. Their lips met and the raven felt her nails grip his back.

Sasuke winced but ignored the pain. He didn't know how much it hurt her, so she would get a release from her pain by whatever way he could help. But… it didn't sound like she was hurting. In fact, quite the opposite. She was pushing back against the blond, trying to get him deeper. She just moaned at first, but then all she could say was 'faster'. The other word she switched on and off was 'harder'.

"OH KAMI!" She let out a final sentence before it tapered off into a soundless scream. Her body froze and her eyes seemed to cloud over. Naruto was still pumping in and out, holding her hips so that he could stay inside of her. Sasuke kept playing with her breasts, finally getting the courage to suck on them.

When Hinata seemed to recover from her second orgasm, Naruto seemed to be finished. He let out a grunt and pushed deep inside of her, holding her hips in place. He closed his eyes and stayed like this for another minute. Hinata kept trying to jerk forwards, and I held her where she was with my body. She shuddered and seemed to come down from her sexual high.

Naruto finally sighed and pulled away, slipping out at gently as he could. Juices flowed out between her legs and dripped steadily into the clear water. Hinata moaned lightly and moved closer to me, curling up the best she could standing up. Sasuke looked down at her awkwardly but didn't move. Naruto had sat down in the water again and was cleaning himself off. The water was perfect for that.

"Oi, Hina-chan" he called softly. "You aren't done yet."

Her eyes opened and looked up at me with surprise.

"Oh, Sasuke!" she blinked. "I'm so sorry…"

The raven shrugged the best he could. "It's alright. I... I can get myself. I just need some privacy."

"No." Hinata yawned. "I'm… helping…"

"Naruto, help me with her. I don't want her to fall asleep underwater."

The blond sighed and stood up again, wading over to help drag her gently to the edge of the pool. Naruto was making a pillow for her head when he realized that Sasuke had moved to the other side of the small pool. He was sitting facing away from them and making quick jerking motions with his left hand.

"Hina-chan" Naruto whispered to his girlfriend. "I thought you wanted both of us."

The female of the trio opened her eyes slowly. "I-I do."

Sasuke thought he was close and prepared to stuff his fist in his mouth so he wouldn't scream when he felt someone stop him.

"Wha-"

Hinata slowly sat down, impaling herself on his member. She moaned softly but kept going until she was firmly on him. She pushed on his chest until he was leaning against the side, and then she started riding him.

He had never felt anything so soft and warm. Her insides pulled at him, trying to get him deeper with every stroke. She clenched down on him teasingly, using her mouth to trail kisses down his face. He had thought he was close before, but now, coupled with the sight of her orgasming to what she was doing now, he felt ready to explode. He tried to say something, but all he could get out was a rough grunt. She sped up instantly, pulling him into the best climax he had ever experienced.

--

It took them awhile to clean up. Hinata was the most tired, but the two males were still tired as well. They got dressed together, helping each other. The towels went into the bins and anything else that needed to get done was accomplished with teamwork. The pool of hot water that they were in got a sign on the door that it needed to be cleaned. Hinata had already figured out how to drain the water, and all it needed was to be scrubbed and refilled.

Instead of going back to their own homes, Naruto found a hotel. He figured that Kakashi would smell the sex on all three of them, and the two males' houses were too empty. So a hotel key was bought and they all collapsed together on the large bed. They fell asleep with Hinata in the middle, both males facing inwards to her.

--

The next morning was meant to be easy and relaxing, but it wasn't. Hinata woke up to both boys arguing about something stupid, and she got out of bed, shuffled over to them, and hit both of them on the head. Naruto fell to the floor, surprised, while Sasuke fell against the wall. Now Hinata saw who was at the door.

"…Kiba? Akamaru? What are you doing here?"

The large dog was in the hallway, laying down behind the boy.

Kiba made a show of sniffing the air, smirking.

"Dammit! Not you too!" She hit him over the head, watching with satisfaction as he held his head in his hands, looking up at her pitifully.

"Get off the floor, mutt." She muttered. "And tell me what's going on."

"I've looked for you for hours" he said, still rubbing his head. "Lady Tsunade'll have my head."

"What?!?"

"Yeah." Kiba was sulky now. "She wants you in her office, pronto."

"Fuck! Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun, go tell my dad where I am. AFTER you shower" she added.

"Uh, okay?"

"Bye!" Hinata didn't waste anymore time, just started running for the tower. She hoped the Hokage wasn't _too _mad.

--

That hope was good and bad. The Hokage was angry, but she didn't hold it over Hinata's head too long.

"Right, well, I have something important to tell you. Remember Deidara?"

"Of course, Lady Tsunade."

"Well…" she sighed and took a swig of sake. Shizune didn't stop her. "Well, I need you to come with us."

--

Back to Deidara's cell they went. When they arrived, Hinata noticed that Neji and her birth father was there.

"Hello." She greeted them, trying to make it easier if they were working together.

"Hi" Neji nodded at her politely.

Hiashi didn't say a word; didn't even turn to her.

"Fine, be a dick" she muttered under her breath.

"Now, what did you call us for?" She said more loudly.

"You three will listen to Deidara's story. After Hinata left a few days ago, he seemed to want to help us out more. But I wanted to know why, and when he told us some crap, I wanted to know if it was true. I got Inoichi to look around his mind, but I want to be entirely sure before I cancel his execution."

"..You mean, he's not going to die?"

"Why not?" Hiashi spoke up, unclasping his hands from behind his back.

"Because- well, you'll find out. Just go in and use your Byakugan to see if he's lying or not."

Hinata was the third on in, and she smiled kindly at the Hokage, who was rubbing her forehead with her hands.

"I recommend peppermint tea" she advised before closing the door behind her.

--

The three Hyuuga sat down in the chairs provided for them. The blond that was chained and drugged didn't look up.

"Tell us your story, criminal" Hiashi said calmly.

"Fuck off." The blond spat at the man, missing by an inch.

"Please allow me to listen, Dei-kun" Hinata said softly, leaning her head in her hands.

"Hinata?" he looked up at them and spotted her to the very right. "Hinata!"

He tried to jump up, but the chains held him in place. He was thinner then last time, with dark circles under his eyes. His face was gaunt, and he didn't look clean. His eyes were bright and full of hope, though.

"What have they done to you?" She asked sadly.

"They didn't believe me" he whispered. "I said that I'd starve myself if they didn't believe me. They didn't believe me"

Neji had casually activated his bloodline eyes and was watching the blond with fascination. His chakra was all that was keeping him alive, at the point. If he refused to eat, they couldn't force him. He might kill himself before they got everything. Sleep must have evaded the captured Akatsuki member, and now he lived off of hope and chakra. He must have had tons of the stuff to throw around, because it didn't look like he would run out anytime soon.

"What didn't they believe, Deidara-kun? Maybe if you tell me, I can help convince them. I believe you, Dei-kun." Hinata soothed.

"I know you will, Hina! But… but they won't!" the blond broke and hung his head, sobbing into the air. He couldn't even move his hands to wipe away his tears.

"I'll be right back, Dei, I promise. Okay?"

A muffled 'okay' was heard and she stood up, striding to the door with a purpose. She left and it was silent save the blonds crying. True to her word, Hinata was back in a few minutes. She carried a small tray of bread and water. Hinata knelt by Deidara and held the bread for him. Surprisingly, he took small bites, gently from her. The ANBU guards did nothing to help, as nothing bad was happening.

Since his hands were restrained too, Hinata held up the glass of water for him to drink. He drank slowly at first, but then greedily. He hadn't had water for a few days, and it seemed to give him new life.

"Now, will you tell me what's bothering you?" Hinata asked gently.

Deidara nodded.

"I guess I can. Where should I start?"

"Wherever you think it'll make sense."

"Alright."

Neji leaned over and whispered to Hiashi. "He seems so… baby-like."

"He should be. Ibiki and Inoichi have gotten a hold of him, and he's half starved. Drugged too, no doubt" the older Hyuuga murmured back.

"That's true. I've just realized, though. Hinata will make a great mother someday."

"Aye, Neji. Now keep watching. So far he hasn't lied, but who knows."

Hinata listened to the blond attentively. She couldn't activate her Byakugan without Deidara stopping, so she had to rely on the Hyuuga's. She watched for other signs of lying, but she hadn't seen a nervous tick. He was nervous, but he was also drugged and starved. The sweating she couldn't tell as much, since his hands were bound, but his face was clear of sweat. And he continued to look her in the eyes, not faltering or looking away in shame. He had to stop and take a few breaths every so often, but that was only because his throat was sore.

Verdict: he wasn't lying.

--

Hinata stood up and stretched out her stiff limbs.

"Thank you, Dei-kun. Rest now. I'll see what I can do to make them believe you. And if they give you food, I promise it's safe."

The blond nodded and rested his head on his shoulder, falling asleep easily.

"Good lord, five hours of that." Neji rolled his shoulders back and forth.

"Did you guys keep a constant watch on him?" Hinata questioned.

"We switched on and off near the end" Hiashi murmured.

"Thank you" she yawned. "Did you guys find any signs of a lie?"

"We'd better tell Tsunade."

"Not yet. I'd rather discuss what we're going to say. I don't want to have two different opinions on this."

"Neji and I have the same thoughts."

"But I might have different ones."

"You weren't watching with your eyes"

"I'm not blind without Byakugan, _father. _I can tell perfectly fine that he wasn't lying. He looked me in the eye, wasn't sweating, and didn't keep apologizing. He isn't guilty of lying. Unless you can prove me wrong."

"I can. His chakra pathways are disturbed."

"I can show you that if they are, it's because of the drugs."

"Let's get Lady Tsunade in on this" Neji cut in, trying to get the two to stop arguing.

"Fine."

"Works for me."

--

"Now, how do you propose we solve this?"

"Lady Tsunade, if you'll give me one healthy person, one sick person, and the same drugs you've used on Deidara, I can prove that the disturbances they saw are just the affects of the drugs. I know he's not lying."

"Fine. ANBU, get her what she needs. This better be good. Rat," she made a subtle hand sign, "get me some sake, pronto."

--

Hinata finished setting up her experiment.

"What are your names?" she asked pleasantly.

"I am Yin."

"Yang."

"Alright. Yin, you're the sick one, correct?"

"Hai."

"Good. Now, you're going to feel a tiny pinch…" she injected the same dosage of the drug they gave Deidara into Yang.

"Ow."

"Shush. Now, when I ask you in a few minutes, you will both call yourselves 'Yin.' Got that?"

"Hai." They both replied.

"Good."

"Hiashi, Neji, and Tsunade you may come in!" she called lightly, waving an arm at the one-way window.

The three filed in and watched the two people.

"We need to let the drugs take their course" she said softly. "Then we can proceed."

Hinata wrote their names on separate pieces of paper and hung them on the wall behind each person.

"These are their names" she mouthed to the three ninja.

"Now, will you two please tell me your names? One at a time or together, it doesn't matter." Hinata finally said, finished counting off six minutes.

"Yin." They spoke simultaneously.

"I don't believe it." Hiashi said.

"That's…amazing." Neji breathed. "How did you know?"

"I learned a lot" Hinata grinned.

"What's going on?" the female Hokage asked, confused.

"I'll let Hinata-san explain" Hiashi nodded at her. _I should have known about this…_

"Well, it's simple, really. It sounds complicated, but it's simple. You see, when someone lies, their chakra coils emit a darker chakra. It's just a short burst, whenever the person feels guilt for their lies. It can be seen even if they don't feel guilt, but it's stronger."

"I follow so far…"

"When Deidara, sick and drugged, said something, it _looked _like a lie. Because the bodies signals are messed up. That one" she pointed at Yin, "is really Yin. All three of us saw no chakra coming from her coils. But Yang," she pointed at the sick man, "lied and said he was Yin as well."

"So how does this prove Deidara isn't lying?"

"Because. _There wasn't any dark chakra. _The reactions of chakra is reversed when drugs and starvation are involved. Every other signal pointed to the truth. The Hyuuga are just so used to looking at chakra that they don't use common sense anymore."

"Excusing the insult, will it still work now that we know how it works?"

"No. You can try whatever you like."

"Then you," Hiashi pointed to the sick man, "tell me your real name."

"Yang, sir." Dark chakra flowed for a moment through his coils, and they all shook their heads.

"Wow."

"So, can we please get Deidara some real food and a bed?"

"Yes. Deidara is innocent. He is a Konoha ninja, used as a spy against the Akatsuki."

Hinata helped watch over the blond. She was the only ninja he trusted, other than the Hokage. Whenever she walked in he tried to get out of bed and bow. She waved him away from that, but every time he did it she felt better and better about him being loyal to Konoha. His story was true.

He had been an Iwa ninja during the time of the war. He was young, about ten at the time. He was trained hard, and since he had a deformity, was kept away from everyone else. It was a bloodline, though, and he hated it. So when he got a solo mission to infiltrate a Konoha base, he took it and left. He left Iwa forever. He snuck into the base and warned the ninja there of what was going to happen soon. Once they realized he was a traitor, they would send others to blow up the fort.

Because of his warning, and plea for help, they took him back to the Leaf village and set up extra patrols at all the major forts that were going to be attacked. For food, water, and shelter he told them what was going to go down. They pulled ahead in the war because of his help. But he gave them a false name, and told them not to rat him out. He had other work to do, and if he wasn't seen as a hindrance then he wasn't going to be allowed in.

In Iwa, the greatest accomplishment was to join the Akatsuki. But even when people were chosen, they didn't come back alive. Some didn't come back at all, and they thought that they must have gotten who they wanted from Iwa. It wasn't the case when body parts came back, telling of their loss. Deidara hated that so many of his friends and family got taken and killed. He wanted revenge.

So when Jiraiya asked the fourth for an unknown spy to infiltrate the Akatsuki, Deidara volunteered. He had since become a personal ANBU for the Hokage, and he admired the way he led the village. He had been tested by the white-haired sanin and then approved. He was sent off in search of the Akatsuki, with a timestamp on the seal in his head. Over time, it would give him new goals. Not just to get into the Akatsuki, but to get in without being spotted as a spy.

Deidara, over three months, forgot that he had defected to Konoha. He remembered that Iwa ninja tried their hardest to get picked for the evil organization. He forgot that he helped defeat Iwa in the war. He forgot that he was loyal to Konoha.

And now they couldn't kill him, since he was so beneficial to their village. Another bloodline, yes, but loyal to the point of throwing his life away to serve them. A tool. A ninja.

--

Hinata, once satisfied that he was finally sane again, went back to her own life. She helped for a week, and she was tired. The older blond would be fine without her, and if he wasn't then they could call her in again.

Three men greeted her at her door. Her father, who was worried sick that she wasn't getting enough sleep; Sasuke, who was finally smiling calmly; and Naruto, who held his arms out in a hug for her. She collapsed into the hug and let herself be dragged up to her room. They made sure she was comfortable before leaving her alone to sleep peacefully.

--

"Naruto," Kakashi finally said something. "We need to go over what deal you made with the Kyuubi. We haven't yet, and that worries me."

"Oh, yeah." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "I forgot about that. Alright, what do you need to know?"

"Anything. Everything."

Sasuke leaned back into the couch to listen.

"Well, I needed more power, and control over the power. I became a half-half-demon."

"So…a quarter-demon?"

"Yes."

"What does that mean?"

"It means… well when I use some of his power, I have more space in my chakra coils. He said that I needed more space to put his energy into. My eyes go purple, because of the mix of blue and purple chakra. I have better chakra control, curtsy of the fox. Ummm I have better senses, like smell sight hearing, yeah yeah."

"Alright, I guess I know what you mean. Do you still have control over the fox?" Kakashi asked carefully. "Like… is the seal still intact and can you keep control over the bloodlust when like that?"

"Yes."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"One-hundred percent sure, sensei."

"Alright. Now, what did you use to barter for this upgrade?"

"I'd rather not say" Naruto said in a small voice, finding the ceiling more interesting.

"Tell me, Naruto, or I'll get the Hokage to beat it out of you."

Naruto gulped. "He gave me a mission that I need to complete."

"And what mission is that? Can you do it?"

"Y-yes."

"For Kami's sake, Naruto, tell us!" Sasuke burst out.

"I need to get three mates before my next birthday!"

"…Fuck."

"That's… less then eighty days."

"Dammit, so….NARUTO." Sasuke glared at the blond.

"What?"

"I need to talk to you. _Alone." _Kakashi blinked and rushed away, not wanting to get hit in the crossfire.

"So. Naruto, you think you can play with my feelings, huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"My birthday? That night that we- we did that?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Naruto still didn't get it.

"You _lied _to me. You got the love of my life to LIE TO ME."

"What? No we didn't."

"Oh really? I'm not one of your 'mates' then? Answer me that, Naruto."

"No, you're not" Hinata spoke up quietly.

Sasuke fell silent.

"Hey, uh, Hina-chan, how long were you there?"

"Long enough" she said softly. "Now, we need to work this out, as a team."

"Fine." Sasuke growled, crossing his arms and glaring at them.

"First off, Sasuke, we didn't lie to you. And you're not one of Naruto's mates, unless you want to be. He hasn't been mated to you. Only me so far."

"You mean…" Sasuke's eyes opened wide.

"Yeah. I'd have to fuck you up the ass if you wanted to be my mate."

"So… I'm not being used?"

"Nope!" Naruto grinned.

"Only if you consider being loved by me 'used'…" Hinata murmured, sitting in-between both boys.

"No… of course not" he murmured, turning her head to face him.

"Good."

Sasuke kissed her gently. "How are you going to choose between us?"

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"He means, who are you going to marry when it all comes down to it." Naruto breathed in her ear.

"I was hoping you would change that law" she kissed him softly. "Since you're going to be Hokage someday."

Naruto grinned at her. "Of course!"

"Now then…" she whispered. "Kakashi's gone out, probably to stay away from your 'fight'. I haven't seen either of you in days now…" She ground her body against Naruto and pulled Sasuke's hands to her chest. "Take me now!"

--

Elsewhere, a dark figure stood in the shadows. He watched the three teammates having their fun. He lingered only a moment, keeping his gaze mostly on the blond that seemed to dominate the most. His aura was bright. It wasn't blue anymore, but neither was it red. The chakra aura that shone off his body was a deep purple, mingling with Sasuke's dark blue and Hinata's light white. Together, somehow, their auras mashed to form a halo of golden light.


	27. The Rain Won't Fall

**To make one of the main scenes here work, I'd like you to open another tab/window and look up "**Winter - Joshua Radin**" on youtube. I'm pretty sure it fits, but really any sad song you can think of is good too. Now on to the story!**

**

* * *

**"Who do you think we get to battle next?" Hinata yawned, checking her gear a third time before standing up and stretching.

"No clue" Naruto replied, tilting his head in thought.

Sasuke was silent, no doubt thinking about his older brother. Then he blinked and looked up.

"They've sent them in a specific order."

"What do you mean?" Kakashi, curious, asked him from the front of their formation.

"Think about it. We've faced them in the order that the Toad Sage told us about them. So the next one, or pair, logically, should be…?"

"You have a point, good job. Well there aren't any Akatsuki members in this immediate area. Let's move on to the next."

"Yeah."

"And be on the lookout for Itachi and Kisame. They'll try to kill us next, if you're correct."

"Hai."

Two days later, they were back on the same scouting mission, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.

"Sasuke," Hinata spoke suddenly, "what's Itachi's favorite food?"

"Why would you want to know that?"

"Just wondering." She wanted to see if they could lure him out if there was anything he was obsessed with. The top ninjas usually were, and if it was food then it might be easier then just looking with their eyes.

"Okay, uh, lemme think…"

And then they were there. Kisame, the larger ninja, was crouched with his sword unstrapped from his back. Itachi looked even smaller beside him, as he was the same height. And he was standing up straight. He didn't have his Sharingan activated, but Hinata and Sasuke had their dojutsu focused on the pair. Kakashi was pushing his headband up, and Naruto had his hands in a familiar handseal.

"What do you want?" Hinata asked loudly.

Neither one answered, but Itachi turned to Kisame, who was standing up slowly, eyes watching them just as intently.

"Kill them." He said clearly.

"With pleasure" the blue man grunted, pushing off and running at them with greater speed then they would have guessed.

Kakashi met him with a glowing sword, pushing chakra into it to hold back the other ninja's weapon. He attacked as hard and fast as he could, intent on taking this guy out before it got too out of hand.

Sasuke was staring at his older brother, Sharingan spinning dangerously.

"Why are you here?" Sasuke asked, twitching a finger on his left hand. A kunai slipped down his jacket and he got ready to run at the man.

"I need a reason to check on my pathetic little brother?" He drawled, closing his eyes. But before he did, in just an instant, he shot a look to Naruto.

Hinata walked backwards a few steps, pulling Naruto with her.

"He's after you" she whispered. "So get the Kyuubi's chakra ready and fight hard. Don't worry about me or Sasuke; we'll be fine"

All four of them moved at the same time. Sasuke tossed the kunai at Itachi's head, Itachi ducked, Naruto drew on the fox's power, and Hinata switched places with the weapon now behind the oldest ninja. Sasuke gathered chakra in his fists as he ran towards his blood-relation, eyes spinning to predict where Itachi would end up next. Naruto was on all fours, running and dodging through the sword fight not meters away to get to Itachi.

Hinata kept throwing little punches laced with chakra, only using two fingers on both hands. She missed the first strike and was forced to dodge the kick aimed at her head. She slammed her hands into the ground and watched as Itachi stumbled, electricity spinning around his body. He let out a small cry and sent out his own chakra to get rid of it. Naruto slashed his face with sharp claws, and Sasuke landed a punch on his brothers back.

Itachi finally left in a poof of smoke.

"Shadow clone, shit" Hinata swore. She activated her Byakugan and gazed around, eyes narrowed. Then she punched at the ground again, slipping more lightning into the earth this time. Sasuke leapt off the dirt in time to avoid the hit, but Naruto stayed where he was, watching the ground intently. His chakra cloak flared and a second tail grew, forcing more red flecks into his eyes. He leapt right when Itachi forced his way out of the ground.

"You can't trap me in a Genjutsu, Itachi!" Hinata taunted.

"Or me" Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"**Heh, you know what happened last time you tried to get me"** Naruto growled.

Itachi spun in a circle and threw up dirt to impair their vision. Hinata jumped forward, a chidori spinning in her hand. She used one hand to catch Itachi's wrist and slammed the ball of spinning chakra into his side. He bit his lip hard and lashed out with his free hand, his palm connecting with her nose.

While Hinata backed away to heal her bleeding nose, Sasuke went forward and sparred his brother with Taijutsu. He realized that this was the first time he had ever fought his brother, and he had to admit that he was nowhere near as good as the criminal. But he had his friends, and they would force him down.

Naruto grinned and went forward again, three tails now waving behind him. His purple eyes were more red then blue, but he was still in control. He used his tails to keep Itachi jumping around, and his third to protect Sasuke from any Jutsu the older ninja threw at them. Fire was burning down trees and ripping the grass away from the ground, and he contributed by opening his mouth and shooting flames at their foe. He silently thanked the Kyuubi for control over fire _and _wind.

Meanwhile, almost directly next to them, Kisame and Kakashi were still fighting. Kisame had ripped some of the bandages off of his weapon and landed a few solid hits on the single-Sharingan user. Kakashi, who didn't have time to heal himself, was slowed. Then Kisame pulled something even more unexpected out from under him.

A giant blob of water surrounded them and flooded the area. It didn't encompass the other fighters, and Kakashi was thankful for this fact, because he had a crazy idea that might kill the both of them. He summoned his energy and swam directly at Kisame, who looked right at home in the water. He kicked his way closer and closer until they were only a few feet apart. Then he unleashed the biggest electrical Jutsu he knew, pushing as much energy into the move that it lit up his vision for what was the rest of his life.

Hinata, who had just gotten back into the fighting, stopped dead when she saw the blast of light. She had thought that her father would be logical about it, but….

The water disintegrated and fell apart, leaving two figures to fall to the ground. Hinata abandoned her team mates to zip forward with multiple shu-shins and catch her father's body. He was soaked to the bone with chakra laced water, and his hair flopped over his face. She knelt down and pushed his silver locks out of his eyes, frantically using her healing knowledge to examine him.

But she felt no heartbeat, no pulse, no breath from his lungs. She pushed hard on his chest, ripping his mask down and blowing into his mouth. She repeated this over and over, sending the best healing chakra she could to his heart. Hinata didn't know she was crying until her tears started falling into his face, and she glanced up to the bright blue sky. She screamed her pain out.

Itachi couldn't care less what happened to his partner. He really didn't care about Akatsuki, really. The only thing he did care for was his brother. And he could tell that with his friends, he could survive and be happy. So he accepted the punishment dealt to his body, even though he would rather make Sasuke work for it, to prove to him that he was strong.

But Sasuke was strong, even without anger. He was on a different, better path. He just wished he could have seen him finish his journey, for he would be living to do great things. But he knew that today would be his last day. So he mustered up a small smile for his brother, nodded once, and poked two fingers into Sasuke's forehead lightly. Then he closed his eyes and fell backwards, blood-loss taking him to death.

Naruto watched as his soul-brother finally got his revenge, killing his own brother. But Sasuke didn't seem triumphant; in fact, he seemed shocked that it finally happened. He beat his brother, and all he had to do was have his friends help. But his brother hadn't been angry, really he had seemed… happy. _Happy that I killed him?_

Naruto dropped all but one tail and put a clawed hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"It's over, Sasuke. Let's go get-"he was cut off by the most heartbreaking sound he had ever heard.

Hinata howled her rage and sorrow to the sky, which responded by shining the sun even brighter. She continued her wail, hugging her father to her body. He was gone, and she didn't even get to say goodbye. She didn't get to say goodbye, she had so much to thank him for, to hug him for, to love him for…

And then Naruto and Sasuke were kneeling next to her, stricken by the sight of their sensei, cold by water and by death. Naruto, who had come to see Kakashi as his father as well, joined in with Hinata in a howl of yearning. Sasuke just stared at the man who had taught him so much.

There was slight movement a few hundred yards away, and Hinata stopped crying to see what it was. The blue-skinned ninja was struggling to stand up. He was still alive. Hinata slid Kakashi's body off her lap and stood up. She tightened her gloves and seemed to teleport over to where the man was walking away.

"You killed my father. _Prepare to die."_ Hinata put her hands out, palms up, and bright blue chakra flared up.

She shot forward and hit all the spots on Kisame's body that would cause pain but not death. She hit hard and fast, and when that was done and he was on the ground she whipped out her own sword and dug the tip into his cheek.

"You're going to wish you had never woke up this morning." She muttered.

Then she was slowly cutting his body apart, being careful to make sure he didn't die before she was finished with him. She never smiled, even when the Akatsuki agent begged for mercy. It was unlike anything that had ever happened. She finally ended it with a shot of her chakra to his heart.

She stood there another moment before she attacked his body once more, tearing it apart like a savage animal. Naruto leapt up and ran to her, holding her back. She swore and twisted away, shooting chakra through her body to keep him away. Then she went back to what she was doing, and Naruto had to work with Sasuke to finally restrain her.

"It's over, Hinata…he's dead" Naruto murmured. He was talking about Kisame.

Hinata gazed at him for a second before bursting into fresh tears.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye" she whispered before she was overcome with grief for her kind father.

Tsunade knew something was wrong before the scouting team even opened the door. The air felt like water, and she was dragging herself through it to the news. She saw Naruto's face first, and the pain she saw there broke her heart in two. Sasuke came next, carrying a dead body and a head. That made a few more cracks in her heart, but when Hinata walked in her heart shattered.

Hinata was carrying Kakashi's body, and he didn't seem to be breathing. By the looks on their faces, they knew it too. She gazed at them the best she could without running over to hug them, comfort them and tell them that she knew how they felt. She stood slowly, opening a secret drawer to pull out some of her best sake. She nodded them over and they sat down in front of her desk. She got Shizune to cover for her and closed the door, locking it tightly.

"I know this will be painful for you," she started softly, her voice loud even though she was nearly whispering, "but you need to tell me what happened."

So they did.

The three ninjas were updated in status to Jonin. She didn't care about the access paper work for it; they fought an S-ranked criminal and won. The council could eat her fists if they demanded any of them needed to take the test first.

She also made sure that they would stay together for a few nights, to get over it before the funeral. Kakashi was one of the best ninja, and he would be missed. She also knew that Hinata must be emotionally dead, so she had them pass around the bottle of sake so that they could forget, at least for a little while.

But when they left, she knew that Hinata, the closest one to Kakashi, hadn't taken a single sip of the sake.

The trio went to her house. She slept in his bed, spending most of the night lying awake, taking in his scent. She missed him. Missed him so much that she couldn't feel anything else. She waited until she knew her friends were asleep before writing a letter. It was addressed to Naruto and Sasuke. Then she packed up what she needed and left, taking only her choice weapons and a few of Kakashi's things.

While she traced Itachi and Kisame by scent, she read over Kakashi's favorite book. Surprisingly, it wasn't a porn novel, but it was still by Jiraiya. It was called "The Legend of the Gusty Ninja" and it was his first book. She enjoyed it, and even more so because it was Kakashi's favorite book. She wore a pair of his ninja gloves and his headband, tied just like he wore it when he was alive. She also wore his mask, pulled down so that she could trace Akatsuki's smell.

She had a dozen swords, thousands of paper bombs, and packs of chakra pills. She was going to infiltrate the base and kill as many of those bastards as she could. She didn't care how long it took and if she died, but she was going to kill as many as she could. That was her only goal. To make them suffer.

It took all night, but she tracked them all the way to a small hidden village. She entered it normally, presenting a passport to the guard. She asked kindly for a good place to stay during her visit to make herself seem ignorant. She said that she was here to see the person/people in charge. When they didn't ask why, she asked them why they didn't. They just told her that their leader was a god sent to them from heaven. She accepted this information and followed their directions to his tower. It seemed that they believed in his strength enough that they probably didn't care that she was here to try and kill him.

It was afternoon when she went to visit the leader. Surely he was Akatsuki's leader too, or maybe he could direct her to them. She took a deep breath and entered the tower that was so similar to the one in Konoha. Inside it was much fancier, built for reverence and for taking hits. She took a look with her Byakugan and found it was made of a combination of rock and steel. It would be difficult to tear down.

She asked the reception for a chance to talk to the leader and got one right away. He apparently hated to keep his loyal subjects waiting.

Hinata entered and greeted him with a bow. She looked up and immediately concentrated on his outfit. It was definitely _someone _from the evil organization.

"Greetings, and who may you be?" the man asked.

"I'm Hatake Hinata, from the village hidden in the leaves. Your agents killed my father; you are going to die."

A smile lit up his face and she narrowed her one visible eye.

"You think I'm joking?"

"I think this is my entertainment for the day."

When Naruto woke up, he knew something was off. He ran barefoot to where Hinata was sleeping and slid to a stop outside the door. He didn't feel any chakra signature, but he opened the door anyways. There was a note on the bed, and he walked over, dreading what it said. Halfway through reading it, Sasuke came in and read it with him.

_Dear Naruto and Sasuke,_

_I'm so sorry for doing this to you, but I need to get revenge for my father. I know that you've both struggled with this and won, but I am weak and got lost in my emotions. I love my father and believe that he deserves some form of reverence. I need to do this._

_I'm not killing myself. No, far from it. I plan on tracking back to their leader and killing all of them. I might not make it out alive, but I hope you understand._

_Please don't follow me._

_If I don't come back, or send word, or anything, please, please, please, don't blame yourselves. Both of you have each other and the rest of your lives. This is just my path, my burden to shoulder. _

_I do have something to tell you, although it might break your hearts. Remember that first night together? Well, I'm pregnant. Twins, somehow one of each of yours. I checked myself. If I don't make it, please make two little gravestones for them – one with a girls name and one with a boys name. I haven't thought of any because I don't want to get too attached. _

_Naruto, I know you'll make a great Hokage someday. Hopefully soon. I'm sorry I will not be able to see it happen. I'll be there in spirit. _

_Sasuke, good luck with finding a girl, and remember – Karin still has a thing for you, so even if you don't love her, she'll gladly have your kids. _

_I love you both._

_Hinata_

Hinata tossed another kunai with an exploding seal on it at Pein. She learned his name when all of the rest of his group showed up. They were his bodyguards and cohorts, and it was great for her because she could finally take them all out at once. She dodged a paper arrow and blew a stream of fire and the flying woman. She was called 'Konan' and she used origami to fight. It was pretty amazing, actually. She had paper wings that made her look like an angel.

Too bad for her that paper burned easily.

It was also easy for her to copy it. She pushed the headband over her eye to reveal a Sharingan eye. She had taken it from her father to get his help. It wasn't even a painful transaction for her, since she kept Karin close at hand when she did it. Now she was using it to copy attacks, jutsus, and figure out where was best to strike.

She had already taken down two Pein copies, the resurrecting one and the one that pushed things away. The other person she had taken down was the plant-man. He had been ridiculously easy – fire had burned him too. It was easy after he was immobilized to shred him to pieces using one of the Jutsus she had copied. And before, a week or so ago, she had Deidara teach her how to make clay bombs. She had those, too.

She finally managed to make sure another Pein was gone. It was the one that pulled things towards it, and she used that to spear it with a Chidori. It was so much more convenient with the eye. She hit more accurately now.

Too bad she was going to die soon.

Naruto took the letter to Tsunade. She would know what to do. Sasuke followed; shocked that he had helped get Hinata pregnant. But that was done with; since she was sure she was going to die.

"Tsunade! Help!" Naruto cried out, flinging the door open.

The blond stood up quickly, tossing her pen to the table.

"What's wrong?"

Hinata coughed up some more blood and quickly healed herself a little, enough to keep her alive for a little longer. She made the clay surrounding her explode the moment she started spinning, her Heavenly Spin deflecting the blast from herself. She stopped when she saw that another Pein body was down for the count. She set up another set of traps with a shadow clones help and the use of mud, and she was able to get the only female member of Akatsuki at least fifty feet underground before she was attacked twice as hard by the Leader.

She sent a clone down to check on the woman's death and used all her power to fight off the remaining members. It somehow seemed easier now that Pein was angry, and she finished him off at last. The villagers watching below, cheering their 'god' on, were stunned. She kept flapping her paper wings, glad that she had copied that particular Jutsu, when they attacked. As one, they fought to kill the ninja that took out their leader.

She had the vantage point, and she finally revealed that she could summon snakes by unleashing Manda.

"Here's a feast" she muttered to the giant snake. "Have fun."

She watched as the giant summon devoured the entire village, sparing no one as it rampaged around, easily winning against everyone. Fires burned all around her, and she flew a little higher to keep away from the flames. She didn't want to get too close, or else she would have _her _wings burned.

And then, finally, the last battle.

"So you would make a great addition to my group" a voice said. She looked to the side to see a masked figure standing on the top of the tower.

"I don't think you even _have _an organization anymore." She said flatly.

"That's where you're wrong. I have me. And I bet you'd love to join."

"And that's where _you're _wrong." She dove at him, ready to give it everything she had to destroy this guy.

Tsunade sighed but pointed to something in the letter.

"Guys, I can't do _anything."_

"Why not?" they both demanded.

"Look closer – it's also her WILL. She stated this at the top, nice and neat. We can't legally do anything. She specifically asked for you, and me, not to do anything. I'm sorry. I really am."

"Well too bad, Baa-chan, because we're going anyways. Who even asked you to help us this _one time when we need you the most?"_ Naruto stalked out of the room, taking the letter with him. Sasuke shrugged and ran after him, talking quickly to the angry blond.

"Oh, Kami, what do you have planned for those three?" Tsunade whispered.

Hinata smashed into the building, mind reeling. The man was now ten feet away, looking down at her. The swirled orange mask made her dizzy.

"What the hell?" she murmured.

"Look." The man sighed. "You can join me or not. But you're powerful. I could use you."

"You bastards killed my father. _NO!_"

She lunged again, landing heavily when she missed. This man moved quickly, but his movements weren't seen by the eye she had implanted.

"Tsk tsk, such an ignorant little girl. You have no idea how to use that eye. Let me help you."

"Shut up!"

Before she could say anymore, he took off his mask. When he opened his eyes, she found herself staring into the swirling red eyes of Uchiha Madra.

Tsunade finally realized something, and when Jiraiya came into her office, out of breath, she confirmed it.

"Hinata's trying to kill Akatsuki. She's trying to destroy them and their village. We're headed into the next major war."

The white-haired ninja nodded seriously.

"What are we going to do?"

Naruto and Sasuke were halfway to wherever Hinata was when they were joined by every ninja in Konoha. Even the Genin were there. Sasuke smiled but pressed on harder, and Naruto fought to contain the power that the fox was trying to make him use.

Hinata found herself in a Genjutsu. She was sitting there, watching her father die over and over again. She didn't cry, oh no. She broke inside, but she couldn't let this man know. So she broke him, too. She attacked him. She attacked him in real life after stabbing her arm, breaking free and killing the connection between them. She didn't know how she did it, but she won.

And then he was grabbing her by the arm, twisting until it broke. She screamed and slashed at him with the final sword that she had. It was Kakashi's tanto, the one his father passed down to him. She got his face, but he had already teleported to her other side. She slashed at him over and over again, frustrated when nothing worked.

Below the epic battle, Manda the snake-summon destroyed everything. He ate anything he could and set fire to anything else. He knocked down buildings and smashed housed to smithereens. He knew that this might be the last thing he ever got summoned to do, and he wanted to make it good. He worked on the wall next. He destroyed it in time to see hundreds and thousands of Konoha ninjas streaming in, stopping when they saw what had happened. He roared and lunged down, prepared for his second course.

Hinata finally allowed herself to be caught in the Genjutsu again. This time she had her sword with her, and she used it to attack Madra. This was _her _mind, and if she killed him here, he'd be gone for good. She finally flew up and up, battling him in the sky of her mindscape, feeling all her energy leave the higher they got. In the next second, she speared him through the heart. She could tell he was going to die by the look on his face.

But she was going to die too, because she had a bolt of energy run through her own heart.

And then they were plummeting, falling out of their minds to find themselves falling outside their minds, too. Madra couldn't believe he had been beaten, but Hinata was satisfied. She was the winner here, even though she was dying. Her wings fluttered once more before fading away, leaving her to drop like a stone.

She fell into the arms of one Uzumaki Naruto.

Manda, knowing that his summoner was basically dead, ate as many people as he could before his time was up and he was sent back. He eventually was forced to leave, killing off over half the Konoha ninjas. The rest were either injured or dead, hurt but not eaten.

He was thankful for the little girl that brought him to that huge feast, because she was the first one to actually let him do whatever he wanted. She didn't even ask for him to battle nor do something for her first. She just let him go free.

Sasuke started healing her the instant Naruto caught her. Her body looked charred and her clothes were stained with blood. Well, the parts that were still there. He ripped the remains of her shirt off and put his hands together over her heart, pushing healing chakra as quickly as he could into her body. Naruto whispered something and extended his chakra cloak to cover her, trying to help heal her.

"Dammit, Hinata, wake up!" Naruto tried to force more chakra on her, screaming her name in the hopes she would magically awaken.

Their efforts were not in vain. Not entirely. Hinata's eyes opened slightly and Naruto sighed in relief.

"Hinata…"

"N-Naru-to…"

"Shh, don't speak. You'll get better, I promise."

"I-I love y-"the light in her eyes faded again as she tried to say those last words.

Sasuke kept opening and closing his mouth, no idea of what to say. Naruto started crying.

"Dammit, Hinata, stay with me! I need you! I need you what am I going to do without you?"

Her breath returned for one last moment.

"You'll be the best Hokage ever, Naruto…keep Sasuke close…"

With that, Hinata died.

**So guess what?**

**I'm a bitch.**

**That's it, basically. **

**I wanted to get to at least thirty chapters, but it failed.**

**Also, I really, really didn't enjoy writing the last ten or so chapters. I lost inspiration, and if you yell at me for it going off onto weird directions, I'm okay with that. If you liked it, then yay! At least you're happy.**

**I tried to make the ending epic, but there was so much to wrap up that I decided to take the easy way out and end it with everyone just…well you've read the chapter. **

**Also, don't yell at me for having her die, or Kakashi dying, or Hinata killing Madra like really easily. Just pretend that she's a mary-sue and read something else. xD Hinata and Kakashi are like my favorite characters, I'm not bashing them AT ALL.**

**One more thing. **

**NO SEQUALS. Sorry. You can ask, but I will politely decline. I had trouble writing the end of this one, and I want to move on to my other fics. Besides, I have a neat epilogue for you! Kinda an odd twist. Kinda. Sorta. Not really, actually. No, just a generic ending. **

**PS if anyone wants to take this idea/storyline/any of the chapters to make it their own, GO RIGHT AHEAD. I'd like you to ask first (cuz then I can read it) but just to even let me know it's going to be used. I'm pretty sure I still have the link to where I found the idea. **

**PPS the stupid line things won't work. Hopefully it isn't too confusing without them. I can try to reupload it later and redo them, but... Gah just ask me if you get confused about something.  
**


	28. Epilogue Life After Death

Epilogue

Naruto gazed out the window of his office. He had indeed become Hokage after Tsunade, and Sasuke was his assistant. He kept Shizune around to help him too, but after awhile she died, just like everyone else. He had never dated anyone else, nor produce any heirs. He had no relations with anyone but friendship, which he extended to anyone and everyone.

He did his best to follow what Hinata wanted for him, and he worked hard to be the best. He kept the villagers happy, safe, and economically sound. He did do something that many people thought drastic. All the orphanages were torn down and made into new buildings. He built a side house to his own home and adopted every single child that had no parents.

He made the ninja academy a little bit harder to get through, with more teaching how to be a successful ninja rather then just the history of the village. Many of the kids that lived with him went through the courses and passed with flying colors. Even more of them went on to just pull pranks. He denied teaching them.

He found out that many of his friends hooked up with odd people. For example, Shikamaru married someone whom he had never met before the wedding. Later on, Shika told him that he had been converted to a Jashinist, and that he would live forever. Naruto made sure to give him and his wife some form of blood everyday, just to keep them alive. The medical center was good at having blood packets, and that worked for the couple.

Sasuke ended up in a relationship with Karin, but only because Hinata suggested it in her letter. He did like her a little, but only because she had been close to Hinata also. Together they revived his clan and produced four children; one son and three daughters.

The Kyuubi, wanting to protect his host, took back his half of the deal they made. He instead taught Naruto how to control his chakra without losing control, and Naruto didn't have to take three mates. The fox understood the pain of losing a soulmate.

Peace was eventually found, but it took three more total wars to figure out how to achieve it. By then Naruto was as old as Sarutobi was, but he still looked like he was only twenty. He had learned by then that he was immortal, due to the fox's healing powers. He could die, but he needed to first convince the fox not to save him.

Which was impossible.

So Naruto had achieved his dream, which by age three hundred and two, was his dream no longer. He did not dream to be the best, nor did he want to be the Hokage to people he did not grow up with. He longed to die, to be with the woman he loved.

He looked back down at his desk and sighed. _Stupid fox._


End file.
